From Lance to Mr. Stephenson
Words. HShoop
After Lance Stephenson slashed through Boys & Girls during Sunday’s PSAL for an 88-57 win, the local TV announcers could be heard singing Stephenson’s praises to everyone courtside during the post-game awards ceremony.
“It was a game early on, but then Mr. Stephenson took over.”
Not the greatest call, but my man made his point nonetheless: winning his third city championship, Lance has made the jump into the annals of New York City basketball, joining the elite company of Stephon Marbury, Sebastian Telfair and the rare few who have three-peated.
But no one has ever run the gamut for four straight years. If Lance is to come back next season and break Ruth Lovelace’s heart as he’s done for the last three years, he’ll end all the arguments about New York City’s best high school basketball player.
Truthfully it was never much of a game. The majority of the talk early on was about the possibility that Lance could outscore Boys & Girls. “Born Ready” led 27-26 midway through the first period. In 25 minutes, Stephenson managed 27 points and 8 boards. And for some of the Garden who had never seen him in person, Lance was all about putting on a show. He smirked with his head low after hitting three’s. His tongue flopped out of his mouth once he got into the lane.
At one point, his chatter unnerved Boys & Girls’ David Imes, who extended his arm, knocking Lance to the floor. Stephenson was splitting the D and scoring so easily, it wasn’t much of a stretch for him to play mind games with the Kangeroos.
With Spike Lee in the front row, Lance ate up the limelight. The bigger the stage, the better he plays. As the courtside fans got louder in their calls for him to embarrass the defense, he obliged time and time again.
“It gave me chills,” said Lincoln coach Dwayne “Tiny” Morton. “It was like watching the second coming of Sebastian (Telfair). It’s too bad he can’t go straight from high school.”
I hope Lance stays at Lincoln for his senior year. Hopefully Lincoln will put together a tough national schedule because there going to destroy the PSAL.