Without the floor leadership of Malik Boothe to depend on, several players from the Team Odom squad were asked to perform some functions at IS8 they normally aren't required. In Andrew Gabriel's case, he was needed to handle the ball more.
Though Team Odom was taken out in the semifinal round of the IS8 playoffs this past weekend by the Shooting Stars, it was the efforts of players like Gabriel that made this a great game in the second half.
The Shooting Stars had sprinted to a 44-26 advantage after the first two quarters of play. But Gabriel and several other players on Team Odom spurted back to take a one-point lead in the fourth quarter. A key three-pointer by Miles Beatty helped the Shooting Stars to win the close contest, 86-79.
Gabriel had 15 points in the game. He helped provide some help in bringing the ball up against pressure. And he did a solid job of rebounding the basketball.
Gabriel, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound power forward/small forward from Christ The King High School in Middle Village, N.Y., possesses a rugged frame and has shown the ability to beat his bigger opponents down the court in transition. His agility was again in play this past weekend at IS8.