You gotta give Warren Dogan a hand.
First, because he imposed his will on the fourth quarter of a basketball showdown between two of the Public League's top squads. Second, because his right one is broken.
How much did Dogan, a 6-2, 170-pound combination guard, want to play for Math, Civics and Sciences during this, his senior season? He wasn't going to let a damaged bone stop him.
After the Mighty Elephants Friday night outlasted Constitution, 63-56, in a spirited, though admittedly sloppy, Division E battle at Ben Franklin, Dogan held out his right hand - untaped, at that; palm down - and pointed to a spot near his ring finger.
"I broke it right here," he said.
He then discussed the details. How he did so right before the season. During an after-school tussle that, overall, wasn't too bad. How he told himself there was no way he would subject himself to surgery, then allow his hand to be placed in a cast. How his mother supported that decision.
"This is my senior year," he said, simply. "I was looking forward to this too much. I take some Tylenol before the games, and that helps. And then I ice it every night."
Through the first three quarters, Dogan drew attention only at the defensive end. He and Chris Stokes, with help from rush-over doublers, combined to hold Daiquan Walker, an abundantly talented junior guard, to only one field goal (an early trey) and seven total points.
Then came the fourth. Dogan impersonated Walker in grand style, pouring in 14 of his 16 points (and helping to hold Walker to only three more).
Maybe guys should break their shooting hand more often: Dogan went 7-for-7 at the line and even drained a trey.
Also, he replaced Thomas Moore as the Gigantic Animals' chief ballhandler.
"I asked for that job," Dogan said. "I wanted to have the ball. I knew from the start of the game that they couldn't stay in front of me. Like a lot of games, I wasn't shooting much early because of my hand. But then, I felt I had to take jumpers or make moves."
Speaking of moves . . .
Two years ago, Dogan played for Overbrook and had some impressive moments. He then disappeared, first moving to South Carolina and then to Georgia. His home base in that latter state was Portal, a rural town.
"My grandfather died, so it just made sense to come back here," Dogan said. "Things were so slow down there. There was nothing to do. It did help me focus more on my schoolwork, though, and that was good.
"I tried to get into MC & S a few years ago, but my grades weren't good enough. They took me this time, and I'm glad they did. We have a special team. Like a family. I didn't want to go back to Overbrook [he lives right near Robert Lamberton]. Things are hectic, crazy, up there."
Dogan converted a one-and-one with 2:16 remaining, staking MC & S to a 56-49 pad. ConHigh, as it calls itself, immediately popped back into contention, as sub Amonie Holloman, off a feed from Abdul King, hit a left-corner trey. Dogan then drove hard and missed a flip shot. Even that worked out great; he hustled for the offensive rebound. But Moore missed both parts of a double-bonus and Penn commit Xavier Harris grabbed the board for the Generals.
Dogan forced Walker to travel, but Mamadou Diakite then posted a steal. Bang! Holloman hit a baseline two at 0:36, making spectators all over the gym buckle their seat belts.
MC & S soph Austin Hawkins approached the line for another double-bonus at 0:18. En route, he received encouragement from Dogan. It was the only thing that went wrong. Hawkins airballed the first, regular-missed the second.
"He was really jittery," Dogan reported. "He just wasn't used to this. When a guy's confidence is low, that's when you have to be there for him."
There was a whistle at 12.7. For what? Dogan had drawn an illegal-pick call. And then, on the halfcourt inbound play, he curled to the basket, took a looping pass from Moore, absorbed to-his-back contact and completed a three-point play.
"I didn't know if it was going to go in," Dogan said. "That was instinct. No set play. Thomas Moore's my best friend on the team. I knew he'd hit me right."
While Dogan's offense dominated the fourth quarter, Tyreek Riddick's did so over the second and third. With the help of three treys, he notched all 17 of his points. Stokes had only three points total, but managed three assists and four steals. Jeremiah Worthem (11) and Muhammad Amin (eight) were the primary rebounders.
Six guys scored for Constitution, and all posted from eight to 12 points. King (12) was the leader. Harris mixed eight points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. Diakite bullied for nine, 10 and three. Tamir Bolger had nine points and three apiece of assists/steals.
MC & S finished division play perfect at 13-0. Constitution is 10-1 with makeups against Paul Robeson and Palmer Charter remaining.
One suspects these squads could meet twice more (Pub and state playoffs). Dogan will be ready.
"I like the challenge of trying to stop Daiquan," he said. "Well, you can't really do that. You can just contain him."
And, during crunch time, you forget you have a broken hand.
Football news
Roman Catholic linebacker Dan Pellicciotti committed to play football at St. Francis (Pa.). Cardinal O'Hara linebacker Drew Formica and defensive back Adam Dempsey are bound for West Chester.
CJ Szydlik, an assistant under his dad, Chalie, during North Catholic's final football season (2009) and last year the head coach at Jenkintown, is Neumann-Goretti's new boss. *
