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By
Kevin Devaney Jr. • The Journal News • February 7, 2008
 MOUNT
VERNON - Sherrod Wright made a driving lay-up late in the third quarter
yesterday and, just as the Mount Vernon junior turned to run up-court,
he heard a voice from the stands rise above the crowd.
It was Bill Davis, the program's most
dedicated supporter, and its unofficial historian, yelling "one more" as
he held up his index finger.
"I heard Mr. Davis and I thought 'One
more what?' " Wright said. "When I got the ball back, I realized what he
was talking about."
It dawned on Wright that he needed
just one more point for 1,000 in his career, which he eclipsed on the
Knights' next possession. The 6-foot-5 forward banked in a 10-footer,
giving him 18 points in Mount Vernon's 95-59 rout over visiting
Scarsdale in a Class AA boys basketball matchup.
Wright, and the rest of the Mount
Vernon starters, sat the entire fourth quarter as the Knights won for
the 10th time in 11 games, improved to 10-0 in Section 1 competition and
further distanced themselves from the pack in Class AA.
Forward Kevin Jones, a 6-foot-8 senior
who scored his 1,000th point earlier this season, led the Knights (15-3)
with 25 points and 10 rebounds. But the day belonged to Wright, who was
awarded a certificate during an in-game ceremony, as well as a
celebratory ice cream cake after.
"He's been unbelievable," Davis said
as he walked to the locker room to congratulate Wright. "He could score
two points in a game and still dominate."
Wright, a third-year starter, has been
exceptional of late. A major Division I recruit, he scored 61 points
combined in his previous two games, despite torn ligaments in his left
wrist.
After a slow start, he scored 14 of
his points in the second and third quarters, shooting 7 for 9 from the
field.
"Sherrod is doing things that are out
of the ordinary for your typical high school ballplayer," Knights coach
Bob Cimmino said. "I'm surprised now when he misses a shot."
It was Scarsdale (15-5) that didn't
miss any shots in the first quarter yesterday.
The Raiders, who were playing without
star forward David Zaitz, who was sick, were 10 for 10 from the field in
the first quarter yet still trailed 24-23. They surprisingly scored with
relative ease in transition and 12 of their points came off fast breaks
on full-court passes against Mount Vernon's press.
Scarsdale couldn't keep pace after
that. Jones, who scored 12 first-quarter points, hit a pair of jumpers
to start and finish a 14-4 Mount Vernon run to open the second.
 Jordan
Lessane scored seven of his 10 points in the second as the Knights went
into the half up 14, shooting 62-percent.
"We came out really flat and without
any intensity," Jones said. "But we found our rhythm in the second
quarter and were able to get out to a big lead."
Evan Livingston led Scarsdale with 15
points and eight assists. The senior point guard was brilliant against
Mount Vernon's pressure. Jack Detmer added 14 points and sophomore Greg
Garfinkel had 11 points starting in place of Zaitz.
They just didn't have an answer for
Jones. The West Virginia-bound star was 11 of 16 shooting, including 3
for 5 from 3-point range..
"We were prepared for their pressure.
But what you're never prepared for a 6-8 kid who is dominating inside
and shooting 3s," Scarsdale coach Jon Feld said. "We know good he could
be, and we did a relatively good job in the first game.
"And Sherrod is so good with that jump
shot. He's really improved. Sherrod used to be an athlete playing
basketball. Now he's a basketball player who's a great athlete." |
