In Mike Crump’s previous four years at Wadleigh, his teams have been known for their run-and-gun style, extraordinary athleticism and for failing to live up to lofty expectations.
This group, more than the others, is different – as much because of the uncertainty surrounding the new starting five as their lack of size as all-out effort that has endeared Crump to them.
“These are the toughest group of kids I ever had in my life,” he said. “I love this group more than the other teams I’ve had since I’ve been coaching. They’re tough kids, they try hard.”
Friday was an early example as Wadleigh got off to a slow start, staged a furious rally but ultimately fell short to Bronx powerhouse Wings Academy, 72-66, in Bronx AA-Manhattan AA crossover action in Harlem. The Tigers’ two losses have followed the same pattern: big deficit and fast finish.
As was the case in a non-league loss to Bayside Sunday, guards Trivante Bloodman (17 points) and Basil Harley (20) led Wadliegh (2-2, 1-1 Manhattan AA) back by hitting 3-pointers, scoring in transition after forcing turnovers and finding others for easy baskets.
Trailing by 12 early in the second half, Wadleigh scratched back to within a point, 56-55, midway through the fourth quarter on Bloodman’s baseline jump shot. Wings answered with a 9-2 run, scoring on four straight possessions to put the game away.
“No excuse, we just didn’t close it out,” Crump said. “When it comes down to it, we can’t defend.”
Thus far, this group is similar to Crump’s past clubs on the defensive end, which isn’t a compliment. The coach felt they would be improved, despite Lincoln transfer Lazaro Martinez, at 6-foot-5, being their biggest starter. But Wings (2-0, 2-0 Bronx AA) exposed the Harlem’s schools lack of size in the paint after beating Wadeligh’s trap.
“We let guards go one-on-one and that’s what kills us,” said the 5-foot-6 Harley. “It’s not the size. We’ve beaten teams bigger than us. We got to play harder.”
Wadleigh wasn’t expecting to be so small in the offseason — Crump described the Tigers as a “middle school height team” – but one big man left the school and gifted 6-foot-6 forward David Henry doesn’t have the grades nor the discipline, Crump said, to play varsity.
Crump is nevertheless confident, even more so than in the past. He sees a hunger with this group, particularly in Martinez, Harley and Bloodman, who he recently said could lead the PSAL in scoring. Six-foot-3 wing Louis Costen is finally academically eligible and despite foul woes, showed flashes of brilliance in scoring 10 points. They could come out of Manhattan, he said, and be factor come the playoffs.
“We’re not scared of no teams in the PSAL,” he said. “I thought we should’ve beat [Wings] and I kind of thought if we would’ve executed better, we had a chance to win. We never had the lead, but in the last quarter, we came back.”
