A Savannah high school basketball tradition was revived on Wednesday by Savannah High School’s basketball coach, Tim Jordan. After taking two years off for COVID concerns, the Savannah Senior Showcase returned with a pair of All-Star games featuring the city’s top boys and girls players in the Class of 2022.
The gym at Savannah High was jam-packed for both games, and the nightcap boy’s game needed overtime to settle things. Team Pulaski Square beat Team Crawford Square, 75-70, as Pulaski outscored Crawford 8-3 in the four-minute extra session. Pulaski was coached by Kevin Evans (Groves) and George Brown (Savannah High asst.), while Crawford was coached by Simon Heyward (Beach) and Chuck Campbell (Johnson).
Every Savannah Chatham County Public School was represented in the boys game except Beach and Savannah High, who each have young stars returning for next season.
This year’s edition of the game was a little different than in years past, said Jordan after the game. The longtime SHS head coach was in his element with basketball being played to a full house off of Pennsylvania Avenue.
“I think it was a success,” he said. “We’ve been doing this thing for like 10, 12 years now before (2020 and 2021) were skipped. It’s good having all my people back in the gym to end the season.”
Jerald Colonel (Groves) led all scorers with 23 points, including 15 in the first half. The lanky big-man played against Windsor’s D’Ante Bass, who led Crawford with 14 points. Each high-flying player served as captain for their respective teams, which meant they got to select the Savannah seniors they wanted on their teams.
A new twist which allowed seniors from the same school – like Groves’ Tremaine Johnson and Ikeen Johnson – to play against each other. It made for a very entertaining product with plenty of electrifying dunks from Savannah’s best playing together for the final time as high-schoolers.
Johnson’s duo of Ted Hurst had 17 points (11 in the second half), and Demond Hendrix (12) combined to score 29 points for Pulaski. As an assistant on the Crawford bench, Johnson’s head coach Chuck Campbell watched (and laughed) as the Atomsmasher’s tandem led Pulaski.
Toriano Bias (New Hampstead) scored four of his six points in overtime, nailing four crucial free throws in the extra stanza. Tremaine Johnson chipped in eight points for Kevin Evans’ team.
Crawford tied the game at 67-67 with 11 seconds to play in regulation, thanks to three clutch free-throws from Ikeen Johnson, who was playing against his high school coach on the other bench. Ikeen Johnson scored 10 of his 13 points after halftime, and Islands forward Russell Wright matched him with 13 of his own. Javonte Landy (Windsor Forest) added 11 points and Woodville’s Lukas Platuna scored eight.
PS — 18 - 15 - 17 - 17 - (8) — 75
CS — 14 - 16 - 15 - 22 - (3) — 70
HALF — PS, 33-30.
CRAWFORD SQUARE ROSTER
D’Ante Bass – Windsor Forest
Lukas Platuna – Woodville-Tompkins
Ikeen Johnson – Groves
Javonte Landy – Windsor Forest
BJ Jallah – St. Andrew’s
Lavell Allen – Jenkins
Xayon Praylo – Johnson
Russell Wright – Islands
Keane Carter – Windsor Forest
Kam Bennett – Savannah Classical
PULASKI SQUARE ROSTER
Jerald Colonel – Groves
Ted Hurst – Johnson
Jamel Mainer - Benedictine
Zion Powers – Woodville-Tompkins
Tremaine Johnson – Groves
Demond Hendrix – Johnson
Toriano Bias – New Hampstead
Ashton Williams – Jenkins
Laron Smalls – Windsor Forest
Darian Sewell – New Hampstead
Photo Credit - Prep Sports Report Staff
Follow Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.
