Freshmen saves Campus Magnet

Thankfully, for Campus Magnet, the freshman never thought twice. Neither did the senior. Moreover, the Bulldogs survived a test from upstart Bayside.
As Josiah Peay, a three-year starter, drove to the hole, drawing defenders, he kicked the ball to ninth grader Sasha Clarida at the left wing, the clock, now inside a half-minute, ticking on their undefeated league season.
Clarida caught the pass and immediately rose up, releasing the high-arcing jumper. The feathery shot softly fell threw the hoop with 24.5 left, setting off a raucous celebration throughout the Campus Magnet gym made even louder as the whistle blew. Clarida was also fouled; he hit the free throw for the deciding four-point play in the Bulldogs' 49-46 win over the Commodores last Thursday afternoon.
&#8220Just like Carmelo said ‘why not take the last shot, when you know you already made it,'” said Clarida, referencing the Nike commercial featuring Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony. &#8220I knew Mal (Peay) was going to kick it to me, because he kicks it to me all the time in situations like that.”
Nevertheless, through eight games, there was never one instance quite like that. Campus Magnet had led throughout until Bayside went ahead with an 11-5 run capped by Michael Baize's trey with 38.2 remaining. Then, the senior drove, kicked, and the freshman lowered the boom. &#8220He's got a lot of heart,” Peay said. &#8220He doesn't have a lot of experience in varsity basketball, but he really wants it.”
When Campus Magnet (7-1, 6-0 Queens AA) Coach Charles Granby first laid eyes on Clarida the grizzled coach had no doubt where the athletic youngster would find himself. &#8220When I saw Sasha play,” Granby recalled, &#8220I said ‘you're not going to play jayvee, you're going to play varsity right away, and you're going to be my sixth man.'”
With senior center Keith McAllister glued to the bench due to foul woes and point guard Nathaniel Wilson struggling to handle Bayside's shifty guard Ryan Davis, the youngsters, Clarida and sophomore Mennon Chavis, carried the Bulldogs to victory.
Chavis notched team-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds and Clarida added 12, in addition to stifling defense on Davis, who finished with 24, but managed just four with Clarida hounding him in the game's final eight minutes. &#8220It was important for them to step up,” Peay said.
Despite missing their second-leading scorer in Brandon Davis, the Commodores (5-1 Queens AA), in an unexpected three-way tie atop Queens AA with Campus Magnet and Cardozo, the borough's perennial powerhouses, nearly pulled off the shocking upset. However, Clarida hit the momentous shot, and Baize saw his desperation bomb clang off the rim.
&#8220It's a confidence builder at one end, but you don't want to take a moral victory in a loss,” Bayside Coach Joe Capuana said. &#8220Unfortunately, we came up a little short.”