Hardwood Reunion

Everyone in the packed Cardozo gymnasium has a vested rooting interest in one way or another. Some sway to the favored Cardozo Judges side. Others lean towards the Campus Magnet Bulldogs, the borough's reigning champions.
All except Harold Peaks. The final score of this early-season battle for Queens AA supremacy, a 69-61 Cardozo win, means little to Peaks as he watches his six former players - three from each team - closely, tracing each and every step they take.
For the former coach at Intermediate School 192, The Linden School, in St. Albans, that his kids, as he calls them, are even in a game of this magnitude, with four starting, and five seeing prominent minutes, is an accomplishment in itself. &#8220This is great,” he says at halftime. &#8220The score doesn't matter to me. I won today. The program won today.”
Edy Toussaint, Trinity Fields and Christopher Abney of Cardozo along with Nathaniel Wilson, Mennon Chavis and Khalil McDonald of Campus Magnet each played for Peaks from 2002-04, compiling a 39-4 record, although they failed to ever win a city championship.
&#8220That was one of my favorite teams,” he says, putting that group up there with his first one, the team that included Atlanta Hawks guard Royal Ivey, another Cardozo graduate.
But to Peaks, their basketball gifts, the ones he helped nurture through hard work and discipline, are only half the story. Because his six former players are evenly distributed amongst the borough's top two public school programs, they all have a legitimate chance at a collegiate basketball scholarship, which would mean a free education.
&#8220I have high hopes for all of them,” Peaks says now, as the two teams return from their respective locker rooms, with halftime wrapping up. &#8220My main thing was for all of them to go somewhere where they could learn the game and go to college.”
For the time being, the three at Cardozo - each who transferred in from Catholic schools - Fields and Toussaint from Holy Cross, Abney from Christ the King - have the most ability and the best chance at landing at a Division I school. Just a junior, Fields, a swift point guard, enjoyed a tremendous week, scoring 27 points in the Judges' win over the Bulldogs, and then a near triple-double - 21 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists - in a 66-49 victory over Flushing.
But the trio at Campus Magnet has just as good an opportunity. Wilson, a junior, is playing point guard for the first time, trying to find a happy medium between shooting and distributing. Chavis has already made an imprint as a sophomore, his combination of slashing and perimeter shooting enabling him to average in double figures. McDonald is still finding his way, in just his first year of varsity experience, still learning the game.
Peaks tries to stay in touch with all his players, and is still so tight with many of these six, there are days he drives them to games, calls them to offer advice, basketball or otherwise.
For the coach, the outcome of the reunion was unimportant, but not so with his players. &#8220It was an intense game,” Fields said. &#8220All summer we were talking about it.”
But without Peaks, without the experiences all six learned under him in the gym on 204th Street and 109th Avenue, a day like this would've never been possible. They all made sure he understood that afterward. &#8220He pushed us,” Fields said, recalling his junior high days. &#8220It was a brutal practice everyday.”
Toussaint adds, &#8220He taught us how to be a real team.”
Peaks still remembers vividly his six kids' strengths and weaknesses like it was yesterday. Toussaint was dominant because of his size and strength; Chavis the most athletic, who could jump out of the gym; Fields was the consummate point guard who would take over late; Abney the best free throw shooter with a soft touch; McDonald still learning the game - the 6-foot-5 wing was encouraged by friends to try out - but quickly grasped the sport; and the multi-dimensional Wilson, he was &#8220my do it all guy,” Peaks said.
&#8220He's a great defender,” he adds after Wilson swats Cardozo's James Southerland, the uber-talented 6-foot-8 forward. &#8220I don't think he gets enough credit for that.”
So, how did they ever lose at Linden? &#8220I can't even remember,” Toussaint said. &#8220We had a bad game I guess.”
That doesn't matter now. It's where they're all now, where they were last week, in a packed gymnasium, battling it out for the top spot in Queens, which bears significance.
&#8220I'm just happy to see them doing something productive,” Peaks said.