PS 11 Tops CS 21 For 1st AAA Elementary Basketball League Title

For more than 30 minutes last Friday night in Bed Stuy, P.S. 11 fifth grader Maurice “Mo” Doby was a human pinball machine. Dribbling a basketball here, there and everywhere while bouncing off bigger players, the precocious fifth grader thrilled an Eagle Academy gym packed with local parents as he led the Red Storm to a 30-25 win over a gutty C.S. 21 squad in the finals of the Academics and Athletics Achievement (AAA) League.

With young Maurice driving, dishing and delivering an MVP-winning performance, P.S. 11 completed a perfect season. In going undefeated in 2013 (11-0) the Red Storm captured their first-ever championship in just their second season in the local elementary school basketball league.

After the game P.S. 11 head coach Clem Rand had nothing but praise for his players. “I am very proud of all of them,” Mr. Rand said about his squad, which last year won only four of their nine league contests. “This win is all about them. The kids made the effort and worked really hard.”

P.S. 11 Principal Alonta Wrighton was thrilled by her students’ achievements on the hardwood. “I’m just in awe of their dedication, tenacity and perseverance. These are habits of mind that we’ve instilled into them.”

“It feels good to win 11 games in a row and be the number one team,” admitted Maurice, the P.S. 11 captain. “My family and teammates were happy for me when I got the MVP.”

Speaking about Mr. Rand, his coach for the last two years, Mo added, “He worked us hard in practice for a reason: to make us better.”

“The championship game was tough but the Red Storm pulled it together and won,” said Korren Royal, Maurice’s proud mom. “Mo winning MVP was exciting. Tears were shed but it was awesome.”

Despite their defeat, C.S. 21 players had little reason to hang their heads. Ending the first quarter down 15-8 to a P.S. 11 team that had won the majority of their games by double-digits, Coach Tyrees Cheeseboro’s squad fought back.

The Panthers defense tightened and they held the Red Storm to two points in the second period and four in the third. Led by co-MVP Jakai White’s nine points, C.S. 21 finally tied P.S. 11 at 22-all with three and a half minutes left in the game.

It was time for PS 11’s best player to take charge. Mo took the inbound pass, drove the length of the court and delivered a tie-breaking basket that short-circuited the Panthers’ rally. The bucket began a 7-1 run that sealed the Red Storm’s victory.

After the game Maurice said “I’m the captain so I had to lead by example and get them (my team) back on track.”

Burt Kennedy, a C.S. 21 parent, had praise for the winners and for the quality of play demonstrated by both squads.

“The better team won,” said Mr. Kennedy, whose son Burt Jr. is a reserve for the Panthers. “Congratulations to P.S. 11. Undefeated all year, they were definitely the best team.”

Mr. Kennedy added, “For anyone that missed the game, to see this level of talent and competition at this age was very impressive.”