Marcus Middleton, Niaeem Edwards spark MCS past Gratz in overtime
The senior duo worked a give-and-go to perfection for a game-winning layup at the overtime buzzer.
It was an old-fashioned basketball play, a give-and-go that beat the buzzer and sent Math, Civics and Sciences Charter School into the Public League playoffs on a rousing note.
It went from Niaeem Edwards to Marcus Middleton to Edwards and back to Middleton in the frantic final eight seconds for a layup that lifted the Mighty Elephants to a 70-69 victory over Simon Gratz on Thursday in a Public League Division A game.
It also served notice that MCS, which has baffled its coach at times this season, is a team to watch in the league playoffs as well as the PIAA Class AA state tournament.
“That’s the hope,” MCS coach Lonnie Diggs said after his team’s pulse-pounding victory before a large and spirited crowd in Rasheed Wallace Gymnasium on Gratz’s campus off Hunting Park Avenue in North Philadelphia. “We’ve been so up and down. I’m still trying to figure this team out. Hopefully, this puts us over the top.”
Middleton, a senior guard, scored 17 points and junior swingman Nisine Poplar scored 16 despite missing about 12 minutes with an eye injury for MCS (17-5, 8-2 in the division).
Senior guard Yasir Rowel scored 26 points, including 19 after halftime, for Gratz (18-4, 9-1), which still secured first place in the division and the No. 1 overall seed in the Public League playoffs, which start next week.
“It gives us a lot of momentum to beat the No. 1 team in the division,” said Edwards, who finished with 11 points and three assists.
MCS won the AA state title last season but lost several key seniors, including lead dog Jihad Watson, whose classic drive-and-dish was the decisive play in the 54-52 win over Bishop Guilfoyle in the championship game.
Diggs said the Mighty Elephants still are scrambling to define roles, even as the postseason is set to begin.
“We’ve had some good wins, some bad losses and some bad wins,” Diggs said. “To me, we looked bad today.”
Gratz was looking to finish a perfect regular season in Public League play after going 3-7 in the division last season.
“We figured out how to close out games,” Gratz coach Lynard Stewart said.
Gratz was without a pair of starters in senior swingman Ross Carter (undisclosed) and senior center Duane Satchell (finger injury), both of whom could be back for the league playoffs.
The Bulldogs got strong work from their trio of slick, quick senior guards in Rowel, Yassir Stover (12 points) and Edward Harris (seven points, four assists).
Rowel snaked into the lane for a layup for a 68-66 lead with 1 minute, 19 seconds left in overtime.
MCS senior forward Tvon Jones tied the game with a pair of free throws at the 1:09 mark. Gratz moved back in front by 69-68 when senior forward Kyyon Gordon made a free throw at 0:15.
On an in-bounds play that began with 0:08 on the block, Middleton took a pass from Edwards and looked to drive from the right wing.
“I wanted to go but I’m thinking, ‘Slow it down, slow it down, kick it to a teammate,’ " Middleton said.
He threw a cross-court pass to Edwards, who burst down the left baseline as the clock winked under 0:02.
Edwards dished back to Middleton, who deposited a left-handed layup as the buzzer sounded, setting off a court-storming celebration.
“I cut in and the only thing on my mind was making the layup,” Middleton said. “That was crazy. That was a big for us.”
Math, Civics, Sciences 14 19 11 20 6 – 70
Simon Gratz 19 13 17 15 5 – 69
MCS: Nisine Poplar 16, Tvon Jones 9, Naadhir Wood 7, Marcus Middleton 17, Nadir Barron 3, Tayshon Nixon 4, Zakee Fleming 3, Niaeem Edwards 11.
SG: Yassir Stover 12, Yasir Rowell 26, Oronde Ali 2, Edwards Harris 7, Kyyon Gordon 9, Marteece Davis 13.