Uche Okafor powers Camden Catholic boys' basketball past Camden
The senior center scored a career-high 33 points and added 12 rebounds and three blocks in a dominating performance for the Irish against their rivals.
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Uche Okafor was hoping to score 10 or 12 points.
“Or maybe 14,” Okafor said.
Camden Catholic’s springy senior center was a little conservative in his estimate. He had 13 in the fourth quarter alone.
Known more as a rebounder and defender, Okafor busted loose for a career-high 33 points on Friday as the Irish beat rival Camden 79-54 in an Olympic Conference National Division clash of Top 6 teams.
The 6-foot-6 Okafor added 12 rebounds with three blocks and 6-foot-6 Baba Ajike generated 22 points with seven rebounds as Camden Catholic (14-3 overall, 3-2 in the division) dominated the game at Woodrow Wilson.
The Irish, the No. 6 team in the Inquirer Top 25, executed with clinical precision in a 45-point second half, with Okafor benefitting from sharp passes from teammates who found openings in Camden’s interior defense.
“We’re being really, really unselfish,” Okafor said after the Irish won for the 12th time in 13 games. “We’re all looking for each other.”
While Camden Catholic looked like a team rounding into shape for another run at the Non-Public South A title, fifth-ranked Camden (9-5, 3-2) lost for the third time in a row.
“We’ve got to get back to ‘me, not we,’” Camden coach Vic Carstarphen said. “Nobody is going to feel sorry for us.”
Junior forward Lance Ware scored 15 and senior guard Ethan Tarte added 13 for Camden. But the Panthers weren’t able to keep pace with the slick-passing Irish in the second half.
“We’re hitting our stride,” Camden Catholic coach Matt Crawford said. “I like the way we’re practicing. Guys are playing with a lot of confidence.”
Okafor threw down five dunks, including a slam at the end of an alley-oop from Ajike that made it 76-52 and brought the players on the Irish bench to their feet in celebration in the final minutes.
“I could tell in warm-ups he was ready to go,” Ajike said of Okafor. “He had that monotone look on his face. He’s the best big man in South Jersey.”
Camden Catholic 18 16 20 25 – 79
Camden 16 13 5 20 – 54
CC: Baba Ajike 22, Uche Okafor 33, Pat Corbett 5, Zach Hicks 6, Lucas Dunn 3, Valen Tejada 5, Justin Hawkins 5.
C: Lance Ware 15, Ethan Tarte 13, Jerome Brewer 7, El Khana Hidalgo 3, Devin Benson 12, Deuce Chestnut 4.