Garner powers Chestnut Hill Academy over Germantown Academy

Looking back, Malik Garner can't believe he allowed it to happen.

In a league with no playoffs, and only 10 regular-season games, somehow he entered Chestnut Hill Academy's showdown vs. Malvern Prep last Friday with not even close to the proper mindset. Plus, he then played "soft" (his word, not ours).

"Our Inter-Ac games are what we work hard for all year. To get to that point and then not . . . " Garner said. "We're the defending champion. Everybody is coming at us. We know they want to step on our throats. To go out there and not be aggressive - I had four points - and really have no effect on the game [41-26 loss], well, I knew that wasn't going to happen again."

The 6-5, 205-pound Garner, a junior, often plays small forward, wing guard and even point guard on the AAU circuit. But for undersized CHA, he's a power forward/center and Tuesday he imposed his will in the latest contest between I-A contenders.

The visiting Blue Devils tamed Germantown Academy, 52-42, mostly because Garner totaled 21 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots.

He sniped 10-for-11 from the floor and was perfect on four third-quarter launchings; CHA won that frame by a whopping 25-5.

"That was the best third quarter we've ever played," said the springy Garner, who last year placed second in the I-A triple jump. "Coach [Bill Dooley] didn't do a whole lot of talking at halftime. He mentioned that we were flat, just like we'd been against Malvern. He said we had to increase our intensity, and that would lead to better shots. It did, and we made them."

When asked whether he commonly shoots a nifty percentage, Garner said, "Considering that I take a lot of my shots from inside the paint, it usually is pretty special."

He added, "I've been working on taking more jump shots. I'm trying to be a more dynamic player. Especially last year, teams would just give me chances for jump shots because they knew I wouldn't take them. I'd just give in. Now I'm taking them."

Luke Mulvaney (11) and Bobby Keyes (10, also four assists) joined Garner in double-figure scoring for CHA. Billy Dooley, the coach's son, mixed seven points, five rebounds and three assists.

For GA, Jimmy Hammer and Nick Lindner halved 22 points and Beau Jones added four assists to six apiece of points/rebounds.

Garner, who lives near Castor and Levick, in the Northeast, boasts solid bloodlines. His uncle, Dana "Dano" Garner, now a prominent ref, was a starter for Jules Mastbaum Tech's fondly remembered 1982 Public League champs (no one taller than 6-3; brassy as all-get-out). His dad, Urian, had some good moments for Thomas Edison.

"They've been in my ear since I started playing," Malik said, laughing. "Always telling me what I need to work on."

Now, they don't need to remind him to always go hard. The opposite will never happen again.