By Dylan Butler
The Bulldogs were patient on offense, took a nine-point lead into halftime and appeared poised to upset No. 2 Boys & Girls in the PSAL Class AA quarterfinals.But No. 7 Campus Magnet wilted under the Boys & Girls press, falling 68-50 to the Kangaroos Saturday at St. John's University.”In the first half we did what we were supposed to do,” Campus Magnet coach Charles Granby said. “In the second half, they pressured us more and more… They got us going helter skelter.”Boys & Girls showed the same 2-2-1 press as it did in the first half, but it was more intense after halftime and it took the Bulldogs, who had 17 second-half turnovers, out of their game.After falling behind by 11 early in the third quarter, the Kangaroos went on a 15-0 run to take a 47-40 lead on a three-pointer by Clayton Sterling, who scored a game-high 24 points. Magnet's difficulties continued as Boys, which also received 14 points from Brandon Romain, 12 from Cyril Reid and 10 from David Imes, outscored the Bulldogs, 16-5, down the stretch.”The intensity just dropped,” said Mennon Chavis, who scored a team-high 16 points. “Some guys just gave up. You could see it.”It was in stark contrast to the way Campus Magnet, which also saw Khalid McDonald (14 points) and Kyle O'Quinn (10 points) score in double-figures, played in the first half. But even though his team walked into the locker room in front, 34-25, at the break, Chavis wasn't ready to celebrate.”We felt confident,” he said. “But when you're playing the No. 2 team in the city, you've got to play like you're down 10 when you're up 10.”Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at news@TimesLedger.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
