Freshman duo giving Paulsboro a boost

Theo Holloway thinks his basketball team lost one game when he was in seventh grade.

Saleem Little thinks it might have been three games.

Forgive these guys for their confusion. That was two years ago - a lifetime to a high school freshman - and they have bigger things on their minds these days.

Plus, Holloway and Little prefer not to think about those rare losses.

They're more focused on creating more victories.

"They've been outstanding," Paulsboro coach Sean Collins said of his precocious freshman forwards.

Paulsboro is 25-0. The Red Raiders can finish a perfect regular season with a victory Saturday over Kingsway.

It has been a team effort for Paulsboro, the No. 3 team in The Inquirer's South Jersey rankings and the No. 1 seed and heavy favorite in the South Jersey Group 1 tournament, which will begin Monday.

Junior forward Xavier Lundy, a 6-foot-5 athlete who is the team's top all-around player, has been leading the way. Other major contributors include 6-8 junior center Julien Davenport, senior guards Calvin Johnson and Juwan Alford, and junior swingman Derrick Burgess.

But what has been fascinating about Paulsboro's steady rise from the bottom of the Top 10 to the brink of the No. 1 spot - with a victory over Kingsway, the Red Raiders likely will be No. 2 in Monday's new rankings - has been the play of the fearless freshmen.

The 6-3 Holloway is averaging 7.8 points, but that hardly reflects his impact. With court savvy beyond his years, Holloway has played some of his best games against the best competition.

Holloway scored 15 in a Feb. 18 victory over then-No. 1 Paul VI. He scored 14 against then-No. 7 Westampton Tech on Jan. 28. He scored 11 in an overtime victory over Group 4 power Rancocas Valley.

"It's been a lot of fun," Holloway said of his freshman season. "We've been able to make the team stronger. I didn't know how much we'd be able to do, but we've gotten better during the season."

The 6-2 Little has made a similar impact. He is averaging 7.1 points but has raised his game since the new year. He broke out with an 18-point performance against West Deptford, went for 13 against rival Woodbury, and scored nine against Westampton Tech.

As Holloway did, Little played without hesitation in the victory over Paul VI before a capacity crowd at the Cherry Hill East Invitational. He collected four points and five rebounds.

"A lot of freshmen would love to be in our position," Little said. "It's great to get a chance to play with players like we have on this team."

Collins said he knew his freshman class was talented - the coach said a couple of other ninth graders are on the brink of varsity playing time - but didn't know what kind of contribution the youngsters would make to an experienced team.

Holloway and Little played a little junior varsity at the start of the season. But they soon became too valuable at the varsity level.

"They've earned it," Collins said. "They took baby steps at first, but they worked themselves into the rotation."

One thing is remarkably similar about varsity and eighth grade for Holloway and Little: undefeated seasons. They were 17-0 last season. They are 25-0 this season.

And they were something like 16-1 or 15-3 as seventh graders, although they can't seem to remember for sure.

"We're not used to losing," Holloway said.