The line kings

Taylor, Phillips hit six straight free throws in final minute to help Salem CC men hold off Williamson Trades and give coach as many wins this season as he had all last year after taking over program

By Riverview Sports News

MEDIA, Pa. – Free throws can make all the difference in a basketball game. Don’t the Salem CC men’s team know it.

The Mighty Oaks learned the hard way against Camden CC how not making free throws down the stretch can cost you and have spent a lot of their time since addressing the issue.

On the road Thursday night, they experienced just how rewarding making those late foul shots can be. Freshmen Stefan Phillips and Shyheed Taylor hit six straight free throws in the final 52 seconds  and were a combined 13-for-13 in the game as the Mighty Oaks held off Williamson College of the Trades 74-66.

“That was big,” said Salem coach Mike Green, who now has won as many games this season as he did last year after taking the team midseason. “Free throws are always big and sometimes kids don’t focus much on it, but it’s been a main focus of ours since we lost that game to Camden.

“When you lose some games like that, man, guys tend to lock in. It’s either going to help you or kill you. Some of the guys still have jitters from it, so we can’t have you in until you get confident. You ain’t confident in it, how can we (be). We’re going to get the ball in Stef’s hands, get the ball in Shyheed’s hands, get the ball in Xavier (Brewington’s) hands, guys who can make free throws.”

Taylor, a 71-percent free throw shooter, hit the first two in the final minute after the Mechanics pulled to within 70-64. Phillips made the last four after being reinserted into the game with 37 seconds left.

Phillips, an 89-percent free throw shooter on the season (seventh nationally), was 8-for-8 in the game. Taylor was 5-for-5. Neither played in Tuesday night’s loss at Ocean for disciplinary reasons.

“Just getting the ball in the right people’s hands, getting the ball in the most fresh people’s hands,” Green said. “We knew who was fresh and who wasn’t and who to get the ball to when the game’s only the line.

“(Phillips) was hitting them well for us so we had to get the ball in his hands. He’s too young to understand the pressure of it, so he’s just going up there and knocking them down.”

The Mighty Oaks were 20-of-29 from the line in their overtime loss at Camden County College on Nov. 26, but missed several in key situations down the stretch that prevented them from winning. They have gone 55-for-78 In the four games since (70.5 percent). They were 16-of-19 Thursday, raising their season average to .696, currently 15th in JUCO Division III.

“The games we lost it hasn’t been good,” Green said. “It’s something we drill, something we take a lot more serious. After the kids dropped a game because of it they’re a lot more locked in.

In the three games the Mighty Oaks (9-3) lost they are shooting just 65 percent from the line (40-of-62).

The Mighty Oaks led wire-to-wire, taking control with a 10-2 run right out of the gate. All three of their leading scorers – Josh Ramos, Phillips and Taylor – had 12 points apiece and all three came off the bench. 

Four of the Mechanics’ five starters scored in double figures, led by Robert Whiley’s 22. Their only starter who didn’t score in double figures, A’Jaad White, pulled down 16 rebounds.

“They was watching some of the film of our last game,” Green said of the fast start. “We started last game down 10-0. It was moreso getting those guys to see what they’re doing. Rather me yelling it and trying to tell them that, it’s good to see it. I think I’ve got to do that a little bit more with this group.”

The Mighty Oaks lost another player to injury in the game. Guard Julien Jones, who has been a steadying influence of late, went out with a knee injury, the extent of which wasn’t immediately known.

SALEM CC (9-3) – Xavier Brewington 3-11 1-1 8, Tivon Woolford 1-5 0-0 3, Rodney Shelton 3-3 0-0 6, Dontarius Jones 2-5 1-1 5, Julien Jones 1-1 0-0 2, Josh Ramos 4-8 0-1 12, Stefan Phillips 2-2 8-8 12, Shyheed Taylor 3-5 5-5 12, Tyrone Tolson 3-6 0-0 7, A.J. Jones 2-3 1-2 5, Tyrese Fortune 1-8 0-1 2. Totals 25-57 16-19 74.
WILLIAMSON TRADES (9-6) – Ronald Johnson 6-9 0-1 13, AJaad White 2-6 2-2 6, Robert Whiley 7-19 7-9 22, Semaj Cherry 6-14 1-1 23, Liam Rardin 3-11 5-6 12, Nadir Ali 0-0 0-0 0, Jordan Draine 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 24-64 15-19 66.

Salem CC	32	42-	74
Williamson Trades	22	44-	66

3-point goals: Salem 8-23 (Brewington 1-6, Woolford 1-3, Ramos 4-7, Taylor 1-1, Tolson 1-3, Fortune 0-3); Williamson 3-15 (Johnson 1-1, Whiley 1-9, Rardin 1-4, Draine 0-1). Rebounds: Salem 32 (Shelton 6, Fortune 5); Williamson 46 (White 16). Fouled out: Johnson, White. Total fouls: Salem 17, Williamson 18.