King edges Esperanza to win Pub C regular-season title

THERE ARE TIMES when Gerald Scott cannot be found in the classrooms at Martin Luther King High. But there are no worries about facing detention.

As he puts it, he's very ahead on credits and thus does not have to tackle a full academic load.

"I've always been more of a slasher, a guy who goes hard to the hole," said the 6-foot, 180-pound Scott, a senior point guard. "But my dad [also Gerald] has been after me about improving my jumper, so I've been shooting a couple hundred extra per day.

"King has two gyms, and the second one's usually empty. When I don't have to be somewhere, I'll go in there and shoot lots of jumpers. Sometimes, I'll go get my coach [Duane Ramer] and he'll help me out with drills."

Before Tuesday, Scott had been known as The Guy Who'd Cost King Perfection. Well, in Public C anyway. The Cougars recently were forced to forfeit a win over Olney because Scott had been ejected, because of two technicals from the previous game.

"I was a little upset," Scott said. "We fought hard for that W and they took it away from us. Ah, we bounced back. We were really hyped."

With Scott contributing 11 points, nine rebounds and two apiece of assists/steals, the visiting Cougars (12-1) edged Esperanza (charter) Academy, 47-46, before a noisy crowd at Rivera (nee Mann) RC, 5th and Allegheny, in a last-day showdown for the division title. (The forfeit had no true impact. On the head-to-head tiebreaker, a win would have given Esperanza the crown.)

"It was crazy in that place," Scott said. "It's small and they had lots of loud fans. It was scary at times. I thought they were gonna take the win."

On a pass from Keon Wells, star big man Shaquille Bowman (24 points, 22 rebounds, five blocks) made a bucket with 1:02 left to draw Esperanza within 47-45. After enough craziness to warrant a three-part series, Bowman registered a block/rebound combo at 0:11 and whipped the ball downcourt to a by-his-lonesome teammate. The ball was dropped over the baseline.

The Toros got another chance at 0:01 when Bowman was hammered to prevent a bucket off a pick-and-roll. He missed the first free throw, then tried to flub the second on purpose. Somehow, it bounced three times on the rim, then trickled in.

Scott, who lives on Cheltenham Avenue near Vernon Road, is thinking of pursuing a job in the medical field. He played last year for Bishop McDevitt and was expecting to help Imhotep Charter this time around. Instead, he transferred to King as the games were beginning.

"I feel like I give my team a little bit of everything," he said. "Mostly, I bring us poise. Sometimes the guys get rattled, and I have a way of calming things down. I'm also a pretty good ballhandler, and I usually hit my free throws. That's why coach moved me to the point."

Malik Paulk (three treys) scored 12 points for King while William Leak mixed 12 points, six rebounds and three steals and banged bodies with the impressive Bowman. The Toros' other mainstay was Edwin Lugo (six points, seven rebounds, four apiece of assists/steals).