Emotional Blackman lifts Hills West
Half Hollow Hills West's Emile Blackman grabs a rebound in the first half of his team's semifinal win over Floyd. (Mar. 1, 2011) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
As he stood for the national anthem before Tuesday night's game, Half Hollow Hills West forward Emile Blackman was thinking about his uncle, Troy Jackson, at whose funeral he spent most of the day.
"I said a prayer for him that he's in a good place. It was a very emotional day,'' Blackman said. "Some guys might say, 'I buried my uncle, I'm not playing.' But I got ready to play because I knew that's what he wanted me to do.''
Troy "Escalade'' Jackson, brother of Knicks and St. John's star Mark Jackson and brother to Emile's mother, Ana, would have enjoyed his nephew's performance. Blackman scored 18 points and teammate Tavon Sledge, who was also very close to Troy Jackson, scored 23 as Hills West held off stubborn Floyd, 69-62, in a Suffolk AA semifinal at Stony Brook.
The Colts (16-4) will face League IV rival West Babylon for the third time this season - they split their games - for the county championship Friday night at 7:30 at SBU.
When Sledge struggled with his shot early, Blackman was tough inside. When Blackman couldn't get touches in the fourth quarter, Sledge came up big, including a clinching three-point play with 23.6 seconds left that provided the game's final points.
"I stayed all day with Emile and his family at the funeral,'' Sledge said of the 4½ hours at a funeral home in Deer Park, where the event was well attended by St. John's and Knicks royalty in deference to Mark Jackson. "I came into the game knowing I was playing for Troy. I wanted to get the win for Emile and his family.''
It wasn't an easy win. Not by a long shot. In fact, it took a halfcourt heave by Sledge that connected at the first-quarter buzzer to forge an 18-all tie. Floyd (15-4), led by Anthony White (16 points), Shabazz Thompkins (12) and Ray Ducoing (11), led 41-39 with 3:58 left in the third period when White picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench.
Hills West took advantage, scoring nine of the last 11 points to close out the third quarter with a 50-45 lead. White returned to spark a rally with six fourth-quarter points. But the Colonials couldn't overcome Sledge's seven fourth-quarter points.
"I missed shots early and it frustrated me,'' Sledge said. "But when it comes down to us needing a bucket or a free throw, I want to take the shot.''
Sledge and Blackman both had an extra motivation for wanting to make their shots last night.
