Paterson Catholic junior guard Jordan Theodore is considered one of the better players in the 2008 class. He proved yesterday why so many high division one coaches love his individual skills and his game.
Theodore, 5-foot-11, scored 20 points to help Paterson Catholic hold off a tough Campus Magnet High School squad from New York, 73-69.
After the first eight minutes of play, the score sat at 18-18. Paterson Catholic moved ahead at the half, 37-33. Theodore scored 14 of his 20 points in the first 16 minutes of play, including two three-pointers.
Keith McAllister's big first half kept Campus Magnet in the game. He had 12 of his 18 points in the first two quarters.
However, Fuquan Edwin's big third quarter propelled Paterson Catholic to a 58-46 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. Edwin finished the game with 16 points, scoring many of his points around the basket.
At one point in the third quarter, Paterson Catholic held an 18-point lead. But Campus Magnet, led by Malachi Peay, bounced back into the game in the fourth quarter. Several times Campus Magnet would move within a couple of buckets but free throws played a big part in deciding the game.
"I thought what we did well, especially at the end of the game, was hit our free throws," said Paterson Catholic head coach Damon Wright. "We hit our free throws when it counted."
And Campus Magnet did not. During one stretch, Campus Magnet missed nine free throws in a row, denting its chances of overtaking Paterson Catholic.
"We also rebounded much better today too," Wright said. "It was a tough game. But we came up with the big plays."
Campus Magnet certainly shouldn't hang its heads. They played hard all game. Peay's incredible effort in the second half also was eye-opening. He finished the game with 25 points. His swift moves to the basket gave Paterson Catholic fits inside the paint.
Sophomore Lance Brown of Paterson Catholic also had several key baskets in the second half for Wright's team. He scored 18 points. Paterson Catholic appears to be in fine shape next season too, especially in the backcourt with players like Theodore and Brown returning.
Schools from Virginia, Providence, and Connecticut were seen in the stands at Hunter College yesterday.