Clippers sailed by the Patriots

 

By Terry Thomas

Chester used a 21-8 second quarter outburst to secure a 74-56 Del Val League win over the visiting Penn Wood Patriots. With the win the Clippers are 2-0 overall and 1-0 in Del Val League action. Chester led 9-8 at the 3:20 mark in the first quarter followed by a Penn Wood 10-2 run. Fareed Burton Jr would hit a trey as the 1st quarter buzzer sounded and the Clippers looking up at a 14-18 deficit.

The Clippers locked on defensively in the second quarter and ran off with a 14-0 run taking a 28-18 lead before the visitors finally scored at the 2:40 mark. Five Clippers combined producing their 21-point quarter led by seniors Fareed Burton Jr and the reigning Delco Player of the Year Karell Watkins with 6 points each. Senior Jameel Burton Jr contributed 4 points followed by juniors Qadir Lowrie and Isaiah Freeman with 3 and 2 points respectively. Chester went into intermission leading 35-26.

In the third quarter, Chester maintained their defensive pressure and dominance on the boards limiting the Patriots to one shot at the baskets thereby increasing their lead to 14 points, 50-36, at the end of the period. Penn Wood had no answer for Watkins who added 7 of his teams 15 third quarter points.

With the Burton cousins resting as the fourth quarter began, junior Isaiah Freeman made his presence on the defensive end hauling in 3 of his 5 steals resulting in the Clippers lead of 56-38 at the 5:50 mark. Freeman finished the contest scoring 2 points to go along with his steals, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Watkins dominated once again with 14 of his game high 31 points, just one shy of his career high. Senior Shaquan Horsey contributed 7 of his 8 points in the fourth including a rim shaker dunk with 11.7 remaining. With about 15 seconds on the clock he stole the ball, took it the length of the court and rose for the dunk before falling hard on his back.

Fareed Burton Jr and Jamell Burton Jr joined Watkins in double figures with 16 and 11 points respectively. Fareed had an overall strong game accounting for 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 blocked shot (the teams only one) and 1 assist. He hounded the Patriots guard totally disrupting their offense. Qadir Lowrie finished the contest and the team's scoring with 6 points. The team finished with 14 steals and 14 assists on 28 made baskets. They also collected 35 rebounds with 20 coming off the offensive glass.

The Clipper next contest will be on Tuesday, February 2nd with Del Val League foe Chichester Eagles visit the Clip Joint. The game originally scheduled for Saturday, January 30th against Arundel Christian School (Hanover, Md) was cancelled as the team is not allowed to travel outside of Maryland due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

JV GAME SUMMARY

The Chester JV dropped suffered their first loss of the season 51-50 at the hands of the Penn Wood Patriots. Freshman Kyree Womack led the way with 13 points. The young Clippers trailed 11-9 after the first, 27-24 at the intermission and 43-39 at the end of the third. The other Clipper contributors were Samaad Powell and Hamza Clay-Goudelock with 9 points, Yinka Itabiyi with 7, Dante Payne (5), Dominic Toy with 4 and Tahkel Walker completing the scoring with 3 points.

Note:  The Patriots "Varsity Players" playing JV contributed 43 of their 51 points.

 

Chester Clippers Crowned City Champs

 

                                                               (Picture by Athletic Director Bell)

By Terry Thomas

Freshman Kyree Womack scored 6 of his 10 points in overtime as the Clippers pulled away for the 58-48 win over the visiting Chester Charter Scholar Academy Sabers. While the atmosphere was more akin to a scrimmage (playing without fans) the intensity was high with bragging rights at stake claiming the title as the "Best in the City". It was reminiscent of the days when St. James Catholic High School was open and the best was determined on the court and not in the barber shops. For almost the last three decades Chester High was the only show in town until the Chester Charter Scholar Academy opened and began participating in Varsity sports. Today could be the start of an annual event that could really energize community spirit in the city of Chester. I see this game being played annually in front of a Standing Room Only crowd. I'm already looking forward to next season.

The Clippers started sluggishly on the offensive end scoring only 6 first quarter points but their defense was on point holding the Sabers scoreless. The Sabers were able to free themselves and made a run but senior Fareed Burton Jr scored 6 second quarter points allowing his team to hold off their opponents and take a 16-10 lead into intermission. Newcomer senior Jameel Burton Jr and fellow senior Shaquan Horsey provided support with 5 and 4 points respectively in the first half.

Newcomers Jameel Burton Jr, Kyree Womack and junior Isaiah Freeman made their presence felt in the third quarter as the Clippers built a 10-point lead 32-22 with 1:22 on the clock. Burton and Womack each contributed 4 points while Freeman muscled his way into 6 points of crucial rebounds and steals. The Sabers worked the clock and knocked down a trey as the horn sounded to end the 3rd quarter. Clippers - 32, Sabers - 25.

Fareed Burton Jr opened the final quarter with a bucket followed by Jameel Burton Jr's trey and the Clipper enjoyed their biggest margin of the game 37-25 at the 6:50 mark. Over the next minutes the Sabers began to find their mark and after Freeman's final bucket at the 2:58 mark the Clippers lead was now at 43-34. The Clippers would go scoreless over their next five possessions and the Sabers Davon Stovall connected on their third consecutive trey with 6.7 seconds on the clock to tie the game as 43. Jameel Burton Jr's shot would fall short and the teams were headed to overtime.

The Sabers connected on two free throws to open the scoring and take a brief 45-43 lead before Womack's put-back tied the game at 45 with 2:50 remaining. In true Clipper's fashion their patented run surfaced where they ran off 8 consecutive points breaking the game open at 53-45 with 53.2 second on the clock. The pressure the Clippers resulted in three consecutive steals, two by Fareed and one by Kyree. Jameel knocked down two free throws and junior Qadir Lowrie finished off the contest with two free throws securing the "City Championship". 

Fareed Burton Jr led the Clippers with 19 points and Jameel Burton Jr was the third Clipper in double figures with 15 points. Freeman contributed 8 points to go along with a team high 7 rebounds. He also walked away with 2 steals. 

Davon Stovall who led the Sabers with a game high 21 points and Sean Deshields joined him in double figures with 13 points for the Sabers.

The Clippers (1-0) will open Del Val League action on Thursday, January 28th when the Penn Wood Patriots visit the Clip Joint. Unfortunately, this game is currently scheduled to be played without fans.

JV GAME SUMMARY

The JV affair was a somewhat of a Clipper's reunion as former teammates faced off against each other in the Coach's box. The Clippers coached by Kenny Tate ('98) and the Sabers by Tahir Lowrie ('96). They shared the locker room as teammates during the 94-95 and 95-96 seasons and that's where the friendship ended at least for the next 28 minutes.

Tate's unit dominated from the start enroute to a 50-30 win. The Clippers led 15-5 after the first quarter, 28-9 at the half and 41-16 at the end of the third quarter. The Clippers had three players in double figures led by Samaad Powell's 16 points. He didn't play the final quarter. Freshman Dante Payne and sophomore Tahkel Walker added 11 and 10 points respectively. Freshman Kyree Womack (4), Hamza Clay-Goudelock (2), Dominic Toy (3) and Vince Coleman (2) showed signs for a bright future for the Clippers. Sophomore Karon Wilson came off the bench to produce two points to close out the scoring.

The 2020-21 Clippers Basketball Season is Finally Here

 

By Terry Thomas

The pride of Chester - the Chester High School Boys Varsity Basketball Team - will return to the hardwood after almost a two-month delay to the start of the season. The COVID-19 pandemic that abruptly halted the 2019-2020 campaign extended its reign into 2021. The impact the pandemic has on the world will be showcased in the upcoming season as games will be played without fans and all those in attendance - coaches, players, referees, etc. - will be wearing face masks. The good news is the student-athletes will get a chance to play the game they love.

Coach Taylor will be entering his fourth season with his new look Clippers having only three returnees from last year's squad. Coach will be relying heavily on his returning senior point guard, 6'1" Fareed Burton Jr, and Delaware County's Player of the Year, senior 6'4" forward Karell Watkins, to hold the team together until the new players become acquainted with Clippers basketball. Returning senior forward/center 6'7" Shaquan Horsey will also be called upon to anchor the paint and provide a guiding light if the team is to duplicate the success of last season.

Chester will be looking for newcomers senior Jameel Burton Jr., juniors Isaiah Freeman and Qadir Lowrie, as well as freshmen Kyree Womack and Larenzo Jerkins to come up to speed quickly. They have been indoctrinated to understand that the Clipper's goal is to win the State Championship. And that will never change. After a successful JV season the following players will be moving up to prime time intending to improve on their records: Yinka Itabiyi, Nasir Madison, Naeem Scott Jr and Keenan Warren. New to C-Pride basketball, senior guard Jermaine Turner will round out the Varsity roster.

With a shortened season the team is currently scheduled to play 10 regular season games, 6 inside the Del Val League and non-league games against Chester Charter Academy, Arundel Christian School from Hanover, MD and Philadelphia Public League powers Imhotep and Math Civics Science Charter. The Del Val League schedule was reduced by two games as Academy Park High School elected not to participate in winner sports this season.

The team is scheduled to open the 2020-21 season on Friday, January 22, 2021 when they take on Chester Charter Scholars Academy for the "City Championship". The Sabres will make the short drive from 15th & Highland Avenue over to 9th & Barclay to face the Clippers in the Fred Pickett Gymnasium also known as the "Clip Joint". The regular season is scheduled to end on Saturday, February 27th also at the "Clip Joint" against the Math Civic Science Academy Elephants.

The PIAA is hoping that COVID-19 will be maintained enough to get through the season thus the call for reduced or no fans in attendance. I'll keep you informed should the Chester Upland School District lift the "No-Fans" restriction.