Blue Demons junior lead the way to big win over Warriors with 39 points.
By Dave Conard, Sports Editor KennettTimes.com
Vaughn Jenkins helped get things started with 9 first quarter points
KENNETT SQUARE—In the 47 years since its dedication, D.D. Reynolds Gymnasium has seen its share of basketball highlights, ranging back to the pre three-point line days of Bob Morse who scored 1304 points in his illustrious career culminating in 1968 and Joel Perez (class of 2002) who ended his four years with 1391 total points.
Shortly after the turn of the millennium Nicole Smith dazzled audiences on a nightly basis as she posted a career mark of 1443 points, which still stand as the all-time high point total, before graduating in 2002.
It still remains uncertain though as to what the single game record is for Kennett High School boy’s basketball, as even after asking just about any one in attendance that witnessed another Kennett performance in a Saturday matinee that will be talked about for quite sometime, no seemed to have an answer.
One thing is for certain, in the modern era of Blue Demons basketball lore, Maalik Rochester’s career high 39- point performance on Saturday, which fueled a 74-69 win over West Chester Henderson has to rank amongst the best ever to be witnessed by the home faithful.
Rochester’s accuracy was ridiculous, as in a 14-minute stretch; he hit seven consecutive three pointers, and was 9-of 11 from beyond the arc for the game, but ironically enough was held to five points in the fourth and deciding stanza, in which he snagged five boards and two steals, in a game that was anything but a stroll in the park for the home team.
“I thought our defense on him was outstanding,” said West Chester Henderson head coach Chris Bruno. “We had guys right in his face and got pretty good pressure on him most of the game, but when a guy is shooting like that sometimes there is just nothing you can do. You have to take your hat off to him he had an incredible game.”
Rochester, whose prior best game was 27 points, got Kennett rolling right out of the gate as he knocked down three bombs from beyond the arc, to compliment the nine first quarter points recorded by Vaughn Jenkins en route to a 21-10 lead after one, as the Warriors had a tough go of it early on.
“Afternoon games are tough,” added Bruno. “We just didn’t come out at game speed and Kennett took advantage of it and really put us in hole, I am very proud of how my guys battled all day right down to the end.”
Despite solid defense by the Blue Demons (11-6 overall), Henderson managed to climb back into the fray as a 13-2 run near the conclusion of the second quarter led by two three-pointers by Declan Kane narrowed the gap to 35-33 as the teams hit the locker rooms at intermission.
“Our guys did a great job today,” said Blue Demons head coach Mike Fergus, in his first season. “Maalik had a great game but if Kenshi doesn’t hit the free throws down the stretch, it may have been a different out come. We did a good job responding all day when they made their runs and I was very pleased with the way we never let up.”
Following a three pointer by Brock Sheets to regain a seven-point lead at 60-53 with six minutes remaining in regulation, the Warriors (12-7 overall, 7-2 league) again drew to within four points on a tre by Jason McKormick, who had a team high 20 points and was 5-for-5 from the line before fouling out with less than a minute to play.
“I felt really good today, this was a big game for us,” said Maalik Rochester. “I was doing whatever I could to shake free, Brock (Sheets) and Evan (Allvord) were unbelievable in setting high screens. It gave me time to get good looks and I was able to get them to fall today.”
With time dwindling to a few seconds remaining, it was Kenshi Kobayashi (5-of-6 from the line, 7 points) that finally buried the Warriors once and for all as he converted both ends of a one and one with 14.3 seconds left to make it a two possession game and secure the win.
At this rate, it won't be long before Rochester's name will be added to the banner of 1000 point scorers hanging on the wall.
“Kenshi was clutch in making those free throws,” added Rochester. “This was a total team win today, every body did their part. It is great to feel like we are hitting our stride right now and everybody’s confidence is growing every week, this was a goal for us when we started the season.”
On the ladies side of the docket, the Blue Demons traveled to West Chester Henderson and returned home with a 48-44 win over the Lady Warriors.
West Chester Henderson 10 23 18 18 -69
Kennett 21 14 21 18 -74
West Chester Henderson (69)
Costello 7, 2-2, 9; J.McKormick 15, 5-5 20; C.McKormick 10, 0-0, 10; Goodman 6, 0-2, 6; Kane 16, 1-7m 17; Cullinau 6, 1-1,7; Totals 60, 9-12, 69. Three point FG- Costello, McKormick, Goodman (2), Kane (2).
Kennett (74)
McGone 2, 0-0, 2: Hyland 6, 2-4, 8; Kobayashi 2, 5-7, 7; Jenkins 11, 3-3, 14; Allvord 0, 0-0, 0; Sheets 3, 1-4, 4; Rochester 37, 2-4, 39. Totals 61, 13-22, 74. Three point FG- Rochester (9), Jenkins, Sheets.
Rochester’s game line- 3, 2, 0-2FT, 3, 3, 2 , 3, 3, 2, 0-1 FT, 3, 2-2 TF, 2, 3, 3, 3, 2 -39
