Imhotep holds on, advances to state title game

BETHLEHEM - Kamani Jordan is the kind of kid who oozes a love for basketball. He's always energetic. Mostly makes the right plays. Provides constant encouragement to teammates.

But in the 2010-11 academic year, he was attending a school that didn't even offer the sport.

How does that happen?

"I was at Germantown in the 10th grade," Jordan said, "and I got into some trouble. They sent me to a school called Delaware Valley, up on Ridge Avenue, and they didn't even have a team. We just did, like, workout stuff and I tried to get better from that.

"When I was there, everything worked out. I learned my lesson. I did what I was supposed to do and I was able to get back to a regular school. Now, look what's happening."

He's Penn State bound, baby!

Jordan, a 5-10, 150-pound senior, plays point guard for Imhotep Charter, a highly successful Public League program. Honestly, he did not post his best performance Wednesday night at Liberty High as the Panthers battled Holy Cross, of suburban Scranton, in the semifinal round of the PIAA Class AA playoffs.

He made two large contributions, however, and isn't that just as noteworthy, especially if the result is a win?

The Panthers triumphed, 37-35, surviving a pulsating, last-possession situation, and Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at PSU's Bryce Jordan Center they'll meet Beaver Falls for the chance to win a third state title in four years (missed in 2010).

Also, District 12 has a chance to match its three-crowns performance of 2011. Friday, Constitution (A) and Ss. Neumann-Goretti (AAA), going for No. 3 in a row, will play for state titles at 2 and 8 p.m., respectively.

On a pass from Khyree Wooten, freshly back into the game after banging his head hard on the floor, Jordan drained a right-wing trey to put Imhotep ahead for good, at 36-34, with 3:42 remaining. And then, there was the final possession . . .

Imhotep led, 37-35, as HC inbounded from in front of its bench. Coach Andre Noble expected a dump-in pass to the Crusaders' 6-6 junior star, Josh Kosin. He also suspected a kick-out for what could have been a game-winning trey, which was why he told his players not to double-team anyone and play things straight.

Soph point guard Connor Callejas drove the right side of the lane and tried a layup. Soph forward Deion Evans - having doubled down, despite Noble's instructions - made a perfectly timed swat and time expired as numerous players scrambled on the floor for the rebound.

In the moments immediately after the buzzer sounded, crestfallen Crusaders were scattered around the gym floor. Imhotep's guys, meanwhile, were running here, there and everywhere in wild celebration.

Jordan covered Callejas on that final possession.

"Once I saw that my man had the ball, and was gonna go, I came up with every last bit of intensity in my body," he said. "I forced the guy to the help and Deion made the play.

"I didn't really see the block. I was focused on blocking somebody out. Then I could tell what happened and I was all smiles."

Evans was Imhotep's eighth man. He took no shots and grabbed two rebounds in addition to posting what he called "the biggest block of my life." He was on the floor down the stretch only because senior forward Shakur Nesmith, bound to Temple for football, fouled out with 2:43 left.

"I expected [Callejas] to kick the ball out for a three," said Evans, who stands 6-6, but weighs just 135 pounds. "But then I saw him fake the pass and I went up for the block. I was a little worried about fouling, but I got a good look at the ball and I figured I could get it.

"That felt so good to do something real big for my team."

Jordan finished with six points and two steals. Normally semi-deadly from behind the arc, in this one he went 2-for-6.

"Coach had me out there for the whole game," said Jordan, a lefty. "That usually doesn't happen. I was feeling more tired than I usually do. I guess that's why I wasn't hitting.

"On that [crucial] shot, I still had confidence to take it and hit it. I made sure to put a lot into my jump. Really use my legs to help out."

Junior combo guard Brandon Austin, who no doubt will draw major scrutiny, even support, from many of the spectators Saturday (he recently committed to Penn State), was a game-long force for the Panthers. Aside from 16 points (10 more than any teammate), he generated 10 rebounds, two assists and five steals. Devin Liggeons (six) was the only other 'Hotep guy with more than two rebounds.

Wooten, who's being eyed by Lock Haven, managed just four points. He was hurt with 2:15 left in the third quarter. Midway through the fourth, he could be spotted performing leg-lifting jumps behind Imhotep's bench. Among other things.

"The fear at first was that he had a concussion," Noble said. "But the trainer said he passed all the tests and that we could him put him back in."

Online high school coverage at philly.com/rally.