Thomas Jefferson coach Lawrence (Bud) Pollard gives a hug to Nazai Stokes after the victory. (Denis Gostev)
Thomas Jefferson’s Jaquan (Son Son) Lynch had 16 points, but most of them were important. (Denis Gostev)
Jaquan (Son Son) Lynch started and Thaddeus Hall finished.
You could apply that phrase to Thomas Jefferson’s memorable regular season or Saturday’s thrilling PSAL Class AA semifinal victory – both work.
When Hall missed the season’s first five weeks because of academic troubles and a back injury, Lynch carried Jefferson up until his return. Saturday night, with Hall’s shot askew, using most of his energy to limit Wings Academy star Justin Jenkins and Jefferson in an eight-point hole, Lynch took over on the offensive end. And Hall brought the Orange Wave home down the stretch, scoring the game’s final five points in a dizzying final 7.7 seconds to lift No. 1 Jefferson past No. 4 Wings, 72-68, at St. John’s.
“They were Batman and Robin today and a lot of other guys chipped in,” Jefferson coach Lawrence (Bud) Pollard said. “You can’t win [championships] and big games without big-time closers.”
The duo closed like champions and now Jefferson (25-6) is one win away from its first city title since 1954. It goes for the crown next Saturday at Madison Square Garden at noon against No. 2 Boys & Girls, a 72-63 winner against third-seeded Lincoln.
With the large Carnesecca Arena crowd on its feet and his high school career hanging in the balance, Hall (22 points) sliced through the heart of Wings’ defense and scored with a right-handed scoop to put Jefferson ahead with 7.7 seconds left. He made the free throw to create a two-point lead. Jenkins, one of the city’s top uncommitted seniors who scored a game-high 23 points, received the inbounds and as he looked to dart up-court, Lynch stripped him, the ball caromed to Hall and he threw down an emphatic left-handed jam.
“Once the ball went into the hoop and I dunked it, I looked up at my family,” said the senior, who spent two years living in a homeless shelter and has bounced around from borough to borough. “I felt like I deserved this after everything I’ve been through.”
The dunk set off a wild celebration at mid-court, Pollard and his assistant coaches embracing their players.
“It felt like we just won the Big East Tournament,” Lynch said. “I’ve never seen a smile on Coach Pollard’s face like that in my life.”
For much of the evening, such a scene seemed unlikely. After getting off to a slow start, Wings (25-4) was every bit as good as Jefferson – as tough finishing off drives inside, as determined on the glass and as quick in transition. With Jenkins leading the way, scoring 19 first-half points, creating for himself and his teammates, the Wings were up 38-34 at halftime.
The lead grew to eight early in the third quarter before Lynch found his stroke. In a 12-2 run to end the frame, he scored seven of his 16 points.
“Right now I think Lynch is our MVP,” Pollard said. “Without him, we wouldn’t be here. He carried us without Thaddeus. It says a lot for him to defer to Thaddeus when he came back – to be Robin after he was Batman. I don’t know a lot of kids who would do that.”
The two teams traded one huge basket for another in the fourth. Jefferson went up six on a Lynch 3-pointer, but Marvilio Berroa answered with a trey of his own and Jaequan Brown (14 points) sank two free throws as Wings crept to within a point at 59-58 with 3:57 to go. The lead kept on going back and forth like a pendulum.
Wings seemed to be in control after Jenkins banked in a jumper to make it 67-64 with 1:08 left and had possession. But after Brown made a free throw, Nazai Stokes hit a long 3-pointer with 50.7 remaining, bringing Jefferson within 68-67.
“His name is Big Shot Naz,” Lynch said.
It all set the stage for the final frantic seconds, Hall’s dramatics and as a result a fourth meeting with Boys & Girls. The previous three, two won by Jefferson, have all been memorable, two of them going to overtime.
Lynch is excited about Round 4 and had a message for Boys High star Leroy (Truck) Fludd.
“Truck better beep his horn because we’re coming,” he said drawing laughs from reporters. “I know we’re gonna win – I’ve been saying it all year.”