READING, Pa. – Jermoine (Flirt) Faison was content to play a supporting role last season behind Thaddeus Hall and Jaquan (Son Son) Lynch as Thomas Jefferson made it all the way to Madison Square Garden for the PSAL Class AA fianls.
“We had Thaddeus and ‘Son Son’ taking a lot of jump shots so I was just going to get the rebounds,” the rising senior said. “I was cleaning up the glass, being a garbage man.”
He’s ready for a new job now.
For the most part, the undersized 6-foot-6 forward’s contributions went unheralded outside the Orange Wave’s camp. All Faison did was average 10.1 points and 7.9 rebounds in PSAL play during the regular season and upped it to 11.3 boards in six playoff games.
He understood some of the monster games were forgotten because of what others did. For instance, Faison had eight points and 12 rebounds in a second round playoff win over Robeson last year on the same night Hall dropped in a season-high 39 points.
“In my eyes he was a big contributor last year and was a big part of our success,” Orange Wave coach Lawrence (Bud) Pollard said of Faison. “He had a great year. Collectively, we had a lot of guys doing a little.”
He will be expected to do more this season and hopes to see himself playing more on the perimeter offensively. Faison feels more comfortable there than in the crowded paint. His lanky, athletic frame makes it difficult sometimes to continually bang in the post and he does have a soft touch from the outside.
“It makes me feel like I can do something,” he said of playing on the wing.
He attacked the hoop well for Jefferson as the Orange Wave picked up wins over Germantown (Pa.) and Gill St. Bernard’s (N.J.) at the Hoop Group Team Cmp at Albright College over the weekend. In a loss to North Point, Faison also blocked three shots.
Faison, who is embracing a leadership role with Jefferson, will be part of a talented front court for Jefferson next season as it looks to claim an elusive city title. He will be joined by 6-foot-5 Kareem Johnakin, among others.
Pollard would like to see him work on going left better, improve his conditioning and develop a more consistent jump shot. He has yet garner the type of college interest Pollard thinks he deserves, though that may change after this weekend. Most of the phone calls have come for Lynch.
“He is undersized,” Pollard said. “But he can play.”