Tabu Gaither makes most of Lenape's deliberate style

On a team that played a wide-open offensive style, Tabu Gaither probably could average 20 points.

He's not complaining.

"I'm comfortable with our style," said Gaither, Lenape's 6-foot-5 senior forward. "We play a lot of low-scoring, close games, but that just means that late in the game you have to be able to step up."

Gaither has done that for the Indians. He's averaging 12.7 points for Lenape (3-0), which entered The Inquirer's Top 10 this week after beating a pair of ranked teams in Olympic Conference play last week.

On Tuesday night, Gaither rose to the challenge in Lenape's 59-53 victory over then-No. 9 Camden. After the Panthers cut a 38-19 deficit to 43-40 early in the fourth quarter, Gaither scored four straight points on a drive and pair of free throws to give the Indians some breathing room.

"I like the responsibility," Gaither said. "As a senior, you know you have to make plays for your team, especially late in the game."

Gaither and guards Sawyer Hand and Kendall Green are senior leaders for a Lenape team that looms as a strong contender in both the Olympic Conference American Division race as well as the South Jersey Group 4 tournament.

The Indians seized the high ground in the division with a 41-38 victory over then-No. 3 Eastern on Thursday night.

"Over the past four years it has been exciting to watch Tabu grow as a person and player," Lenape coach Chuck Guittar said. "He was forced to play more of an inside role for our team last year, but over the summer he continued to work on all the aspects of his game.

"This year he has stepped his game up and is taking more of a scoring role in our offense. I am still waiting for him to realize how good of a player he could be. The success of Lenape this season will have a lot to do with the play of Tabu Gaither."