Lunsford leads U. City over Lincoln
IT'S NOT every Philly kid, we'd imagine, who routinely can be found in prime seats at Big East basketball games.
IT'S NOT every Philly kid, we'd imagine, who routinely can be found in prime seats at Big East basketball games.
And we're not even talking Villanova's.
Aside from serving as a combination guard for University City High, Diante Lunsford, a 5-10, 165-pound senior, often makes his way to Georgetown's games.
(Imagine Dick Vitale's voice.) It helps to have connections, baby!!
Lunsford's cousin, Jabril Trawick, a product of Abington Friends, is a freshman guard for the Hoyas. But to use just cousin in describing their relationship is grossly inadequate.
"Jabril's like my brother, really," Lunsford said. "We grew up in the same house.
"I love going down there to watch his games. I think I've made it to all but three of the home games. I get good seats. In the third or fourth row. It excites me to be right there for all the action, and to hear the crowd go wild. Makes me feel really special."
So does playing at home.
Aside from Jabril Trawick, Lunsford also counts the Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook among his heroes. And he's not above thieving a signature gesture.
For a Public B game Thursday, Lunsford and the Jaguars traveled to Abraham Lincoln. Early in the contest, Diante drained a left-wing trey and, like Westbrook is known for doing, held both hands up to his mouth. The thumbs and index fingers formed circles, leaving three digits on each hand highly visible.
He then dropped both hands straight down to his sides.
Understandably, the silence was deafening.
"Yeah, I didn't expect any noise," Lunsford said, smiling. "I'm just so used to doing it. When I do that at home games, everybody goes 'Booooom!!' That's the tradition. All the fans. They go 'Booooom!!' "
Lunsford hit three treys (in six attempts) as U. City triumphed, 57-54. In all, he contributed 18 points and four apiece of rebounds, assists and steals.
Plus, his eyes bugged out a few times as he watched Lincoln's Michael Bowlers, a 6-7 senior center, erupt for 35 points, 26 rebounds and five blocked shots.
The ambidextrous Bowlers shot 16-for-28 from the floor (the other Railsplitters were 8-for-35) and, on several occasions, dribbled hard but smooth to the hoop from beyond the arc.
"That guy is gooood. He was even bringing the ball up sometimes," Lunsford said. "He's strong and plays the game with passion."
Ditto for No. 21 for UC.
Coach Tim Castanza likes to use Lunsford on the wing because of his snipe-from-deep abilities. And there he was early, hitting two treys as the Jaguars stormed to the first 13 points. When Lincoln mounted a strong rally, Lunsford assumed floor-general responsibilities.
"Point guard, that's what I like best," he said. "That's what I play for my AAU team, Brotherhood, because I'm good at controlling the floor.
"A lot of our guys are coming from neighborhood ball. They're not really used to organized ball. So it's up to me to keep them in line and make sure we do things the right way. To run actual plays."
Quahdire Gordon, a forward with strength, added 14 points and the same number of rebounds for UC. Marcus Lyles, the star football receiver, hustled for 11 points and four assists. Joshua Fenwick, the quarterback, managed five boards and two blocks off the bench.
With 3:02 left, UC expanded its lead to 50-46 on Lunsford's three-point play (assist to Lyles). Lincoln, which also collected 10 points from Jarmel Kenan, never quite went away, but there was no true drama in the waning moments; the last bucket was a freebie.
Lunsford lives on Lindenwood Street, around the corner from 53rd and Arch, and wants to major in business. Castanza and assistant Ken Gritter are big fans and are working hard to drum up Division II-III interest.
"He's a good kid and does his classroom work," Castanza said. "I know there are programs he could really help."
While involving the crowd, as well.
Online high school coverage at philly.com/rally.
