By Tadi Abedje
On February 1st, the Dunbar Crimson Tide were defeated by the Wilson Tigers on their home court, 63-36. It was a non-conference game between the two Northwest DC schools and it was a non-competitive contest from the start.
In the first quarter, Dunbar would have a shot clock violation for not getting a shot off in time. However, Tazzell Hunter would score the first points for the Crimson Tide on a fast break layup. Dimingus Stevens would respond back with a layup on his own for Wilson’s first bucket. Stevens would make the Tigers first three pointer from the corner. Makhi Mitchell would make one of their first two free throws after getting fouled on the break.
Jay Heath Jr. drove baseline and had an impressive layup that would lead to Dunbar’s first
timeout of the game. Romaro Hutchinson had his own fast break layup off a Crimson Tide
turnover. Makhi Mitchell highlight reel came when he had a two handed slam dunk. Jay Heath Jr. and Makhel Mitchell would have dunks of their own to end the opening with Wilson dominating on top 18-2.
In the following quarter, the Tigers onslaught continued when Jay Heath Jr. made both free
throws after he stole the ball and went for an easy two. Lonaile Cyrus scored Dunbar’s first
points of the quarter, but Darren Buchanan had a dunk on the other end for Wilson. Travon Toye made only one of the Crimson Tide’s first two foul shots. Carlos Dunn had the Tiger’s second, made from beyond the arc. Dimingus Stevens threw an alley oop to Jay Heath Jr. as he had a monster throw down that led to another Crimson Tide timeout.
Xavier Hardy would have a putback off a missed shot which led the Tigers to call their first
timeout of the contest. Jay Heath Jr. made a three point shot from the top of the key. Lonaile Cyrus passed to Xavier for a Dunbar fast break layup. It would be the only positive for the Crimson Tide as they trailed 35-14 at halftime.
When the second half began, Antione Graham started off with a driving layup for Dunbar. Chris Mateo made one of two foul shots after being fouled on a jump shot, but would have a layup on the next possession. But Dunbar’s miscues would continue as they had a turnover and Wilson had a fast break layup on the other end Romaro Hutchinson.
Makhi Mitchell had a fast break layup of his own after Wilson broke the full court press. He
would have a putback dunk a couple of plays later off a three point miss by Dimingus Stevens. Tyrek Simmons putback a missed layup by Patrick Stevens for Dunbar. Despite being even in points in third quarter, Wilson still had a commanding lead 46-25.
In the fourth quarter, Milton Milling made one of two free throws to start off for the Crimson Tide. They struggled getting anything around the basket with six foot nine Makhel Mitchell protecting the paint and blocking shots. Milling would make a floater shot from the baseline. Tazzell Hunter had a layup while in transition. Lonaile Cyrus would have a bucket and made the foul shot to complete a three point play. With the game out of reach, the home crowd decided to exit the game early before the final buzzer sounded.
“I think it was a good performance, being that this is the second game of the day. We played a game earlier in the tournament that we earned up in Saint James in Hagerstown. We played at 2:30, we had to get on the road to get down here (Dunbar) and play at 7:30, which I think they looked pretty good to play that way,” Wilson head coach Angelo Hernandez said. “But these games it’s hard get them up for some of them, but Dunbar was pretty good tonight. But our guys just did what we usually do and got the job done.”
It was much different for the home team. “I think it was the size. Kinda at awe seeing that type of size and those guys are athletic,” said Dunbar head coach Damon Singletary. “We just were a little hesitant. We wasn’t as aggressive as I thought we would be.”
