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By
Kevin Devaney Jr. The Journal News
• February 29, 2008
 WHITE
PLAINS - Kevin Jones smiles a lot. He's a shy kid who speaks softly and
is usually in a good mood.
Scarsdale found out yesterday what
happens when you make Mount Vernon's star big man angry.
The Raiders got physical with Jones in
the first quarter of their Section 1 Class AA boys basketball semifinal,
and the 6-foot-8 senior retaliated the way he knows best. Jones
dominated the interior after a slow start, posting 23 points and 16
rebounds as top-seeded Mount Vernon beat Scarsdale 78-49 at the County
Center.
"I felt like they were holding me and
fouling me hard," said Jones, who'll play next season at the University
of West Virginia. "I definitely got angry. I felt like I had to assert
myself."
Jones will lead Mount Vernon (20-3)
into Sunday's Class AA championship against No. 2 Poughkeepsie at the
County Center at noon. The Knights, who have won 15 of their last 16
games, have captured the last two state titles and are aiming for their
eighth sectional championship in nine seasons.
Scarsdale (17-6), which had lost to
Mount Vernon twice in the regular season, made Mount Vernon wrestle its
way into Sunday's final. It was clear from the start the Raiders wanted
to be physical with Jones and Knights junior Sherrod Wright, whether
they had the ball or not.
Seth Goldwasser, a 6-5 senior, was
draped on Jones, who relies on his touch and finesse to finish around
the rim. Scarsdale guards Evan Livingston, Greg Garfinkel and Jon Trock
did the same rotating on Wright.
"We practiced all week to be physical
in this game," Scarsdale coach Jon Feld said. "We were all over them.
That's what we needed to do on every touch they got."
Both Jones and Wright were disrupted
by the tactic. Jones missed his first six shots before a powerful
putback - despite a hard foul - with 5:10 to play in the half signaled
his arrival.
"Kevin was finally able to take two or
three guys up in his arms and score baskets," Mount Vernon coach Bob
Cimmino said. "He's got to be mad, hit a few times, before he decides to
power up. They obliged. They were all over him."
Jones fought through it for 10
second-quarter points as Mount Vernon turned a sloppy start into a
10-point halftime lead.
Wright, who was held to six first-half
points, ignited a 16-6 run to start the third. The 6-5 junior hit his
first four shots as the Knights nailed seven in a row and opened up a
20-point lead.
"I finally got a few open shots,"
Wright said. "It was a little easier to shoot in the third quarter. The
emotions of the game were high in the first half."
Wright finished with 23 points and six
rebounds. He shot 7 of 8 from the floor in the second half as the
Raiders simply wore down.
Jordan Lessane added 10 points and
point guard Ketema Brooks had nine assists.
Scarsdale had its chances early. The
Raiders trailed only 12-6 after the first quarter and had several shots
in the paint roll off the rim. David Zaitz had 14 of his 21 points in
the second half but it was far too late.
The loss ended a memorable run for the
Raiders. Zaitz, a four-year starter who'll play at Amherst, is one of 10
seniors.
"The goal for these guys was always to
get to the County Center," Feld said. "Once we got here, it was amazing
how quickly their goals changed. They took on this challenge and were
ready to shock the world. That didn't happen. But they left it all out
on the floor." |
