Jenkins, Price push Amityville to victory
WAmityville's Janiece Jenkins drives past Wyandanch's Asia Purnell to score two points. (Jan. 14, 2012) Credit: Bob Mitchell
Just as Amityville was heating up, the fire alarm rang at Wyandanch with 23 seconds left in the third quarter. The building was evacuated and the players and fans stood outside for about 10 minutes.
It turned out to be smoke from the kitchen that ignited the alarm and everyone was let back in with no harm done. The brief delay couldn't slow down the Amityville momentum, especially Raven Price and Janiece Jenkins.
Price had 17 points and 13 rebounds and Jenkins had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Amityville in a 55-41 win over Wyandanch Saturday in the Wyandanch Basketball Classic. Marshae Sterling scored 12 points for Amityville (5-2).
"I didn't think the delay would impact us," said Price, who was the game MVP and is the sister of Amityville graduate A.J. Price, who now plays for the Indiana Pacers. "It was cold out there. We just needed to get back in the flow quickly."
Following the delay, Sterling scored on a layup with one second left in the third quarter to give Amityville a 40-38 lead. Then Price stepped up her game. After Sterling missed a free throw, Price scored on a putback.
After she got a steal, a double team came her way in the post and she dished to an open Sterling for a layup under the basket and a 44-38 lead. Symone Jacas scored on a putback and Jenkins went 1-for-2 from the foul line before Price hit a jumper with 4:35 left in the game for a 49-38 lead. Wyandanch went scoreless in the quarter until Jalicia Robinson scored with 2:48 left to make it 51-40.
"I told Raven Price to take over the game and handle the basketball," Amityville coach Shabue Mosley said. "She's a post player, but she can handle the basketball and have everything go through her. She needs to lead these young girls. She acted like a senior captain. I saw it in her eyes. She started grabbing every rebound and demanded the ball more."
Jenkins played with the flu and struggled in the first half. She turned it on in the second half, scoring 12 points with nine coming in a 21-15 third quarter.
"I couldn't let my teammates down," Jenkins said. "I had to keep shooting."
Said Mosley: "I told her to just get through it and take the open shots. She's a scorer. In the last couple minutes, she came up with some big rebounds."
Wyandanch (2-9) played well for three quarters. Brianna Lampkins scored all 12 of her points on three-pointers in a 23-19 first half for the Warriors. Lorenza Birt spent most of the first half on the bench with foul trouble, but exploded in the third quarter with 13 of her 14 points.
Wyandanch honored former coach Warren Fuller at halftime. Fuller, who retired before the season, coached 33 seasons at the school and is second in the state with 579 career wins. Wyandanch assistant coach Carl Clark presented Fuller with a plaque.
