CHELSEA -- The Lab Museum United Gators kicked off the opening week of the 2016-17 PSAL season by opposing two formidable teams, in the A-Division Dewitt Clinton Governors and the Lions of Brooklyn Community Arts & Media High School.
The Gators came out of those games with very different results.
LMU struggled to keep up with the Governors’ pace, falling 56-43 last Friday. The Gators fell behind early and had to play catch-up from there, as the team looked at an 11-point deficit at the half. LMU specifically struggled at the free-throw line, where they missed 12 of 34 attempts, even though senior Oliver Dingman converted on 12 of his 13.
Looking to rebound, the Gators welcomed in the BCAM Lions on Tuesday for the season debut in newly renovated LMU Gym. Early on, it appeared as if another startling loss was in the cards, with the halftime score reading 40-24 in favor of the Lions. What happened next was a stunning turnaround, that no one in the packed crowd could have foreseen.
LMU came out in the second half employing a zone defense, one that the Lions’ offense was simply not made to handle. The Gators outscored BCAM 22-7 in the third period, leaving their opponents with a one point lead heading into the final eight minutes of play.
Jesse Davis led the LMU attack with 27 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The biggest score of the game was one Davis’ six shots from deep range in the game. When the Lions brought the score back even with under a minute remaining, it was Semir Dervisevic, the freshman who struggled with his shot all night long, who got one to go, giving the Gators a 60-58 victory.
It was an inspiring performance from a team whose identity is to be determined. Davis managed only five points against Dewitt Clinton, but showcased his skill level in Tuesday’s victory. Khalid Abdalla committed eight turnovers in the opener, but showed poise and determination against BCAM, scoring 14 points. At such an early point in the season, players are still figuring out their roles, but the victory in the home opener was clearly a step in the right direction.
The Gators will return from the Thanksgiving break with an important date circled on their schedules, a meeting with Fashion Industries on Tuesday, which will kick off the PSAL league schedule. The Falcons return leading scorer Shaneek Roper, who scored a team-leading 17.3 points per game last season. The game begins at 4:30 at the Fashion Gym on 24th street in Chelsea.
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