Brickus sets career scoring mark; leads Coatesville past Downingtown East
By Peter DiGiovanni
@peteDLN on twitter
UWCHLAN — It came with 63 seconds left in the second period. Coatesville senior guard Jhamir Brickus stripped a Downingtown East ball-handler and sailed into the front court and threw down a monster slam.It was Brickus’ fifth point of the night but more importantly it was the 2,275th of his career which moved him past the mark set by John Allen for the all-time leading scorer in Coatesville boys basketball history.
Brickus ended the game with 22 points with Dapree Bryant scoring 21 and John Proctor added 20 as the Red Raiders ran away with an 86-65 Ches-Mont National Division win over host Downingtown East.
“I took my time tonight because I wanted to get all my teammates involved,” Brickus said. “And to do it with a slam is great. It is a great accomplishments because of all the great players that have played here, but there is more work to be done.”
The game was stopped at that point with Coatesville (9-1 Ches-Mont National, 13-5 overall) leading the Cougars (4-4, 9-9) 38-27 and starting to pull away after a pretty even first half. Brickus was given a plague with his picture on it and was welcomed by the previous scoring leader, John Allen, who came to center court to meet Brickus.
“I am so happy for him,” Allen said. “I played with his dad and I knew him when he was just first born. And to see him grow up in Coatesville right before our eyes is a tremendous thing. I am extremely happy for him.”
Downingtown East turned the ball over seven times in the second period, 12 for the game, allowing Coatesville to score in transition and take a commanding 40-29 lead at halftime. Bryant led the Red Raiders’ charge with 16 first half points and Proctor drained two of his three treys in the first half. Coatesville was just too fast for the Cougars and they outscored them 19-11 in the second period.
“Coatesville, when they get up eight or nine points, is very tough,” Downingtown East coach John Goodman said. “And then you have a tendency to start to play fast and that lead becomes 16 or 18 in a hurry and that is what happened to us tonight.”
For Downingtown East, Jayden Rowe scored a team-high 20 points and senior Andrew King added 18 points. But Coatesville never let King go on one of his scoring binges and that in part was due to the great defense of Abdul Stewart, who also added 12 points to go along with his tenacious defense.
“I just try to do what is asked of me,’ Stewart said. “Anything they want men to do I try to do to the best of my abilities.”
Coatesville kept the pedal to the metal in the third period as Jhamir Brickus scored 10 of his points in the period. As much as the Cougars tried to come back, Coatesville was just too sharp on both ends of the floor.
The Raiders shot a torrid 31-for-57 from the field and controlled both the offensive and defensive glass for most of the game. To start the fourth period, Jhamir Brickus stole a pass and swooped in for a score to make it a 63-45 lead. Donovan Brickus then drained a long trey for a 66-45 Coatesville lead and the final five minutes of the game the teams just traded baskets with the Red Raiders safely in front. Coatesville coach Marc Turner talked about his special record-setting guard after the game.
“He just plays at a faster pace than the other players,” Turner said. “Jhamir has a great basketball IQ and he has great court presence, one of the best I have seen at the high school level. As far as tonight, we have three things we try to do. Play hard, play defense and play together and let the chips fall where they may. And tonight we had three guys score 20 points so that helps.”
Brickus ended the game with 22 points with Dapree Bryant scoring 21 and John Proctor added 20 as the Red Raiders ran away with an 86-65 Ches-Mont National Division win over host Downingtown East.
“I took my time tonight because I wanted to get all my teammates involved,” Brickus said. “And to do it with a slam is great. It is a great accomplishments because of all the great players that have played here, but there is more work to be done.”
The game was stopped at that point with Coatesville (9-1 Ches-Mont National, 13-5 overall) leading the Cougars (4-4, 9-9) 38-27 and starting to pull away after a pretty even first half. Brickus was given a plague with his picture on it and was welcomed by the previous scoring leader, John Allen, who came to center court to meet Brickus.
“I am so happy for him,” Allen said. “I played with his dad and I knew him when he was just first born. And to see him grow up in Coatesville right before our eyes is a tremendous thing. I am extremely happy for him.”
Downingtown East turned the ball over seven times in the second period, 12 for the game, allowing Coatesville to score in transition and take a commanding 40-29 lead at halftime. Bryant led the Red Raiders’ charge with 16 first half points and Proctor drained two of his three treys in the first half. Coatesville was just too fast for the Cougars and they outscored them 19-11 in the second period.
“Coatesville, when they get up eight or nine points, is very tough,” Downingtown East coach John Goodman said. “And then you have a tendency to start to play fast and that lead becomes 16 or 18 in a hurry and that is what happened to us tonight.”
For Downingtown East, Jayden Rowe scored a team-high 20 points and senior Andrew King added 18 points. But Coatesville never let King go on one of his scoring binges and that in part was due to the great defense of Abdul Stewart, who also added 12 points to go along with his tenacious defense.
“I just try to do what is asked of me,’ Stewart said. “Anything they want men to do I try to do to the best of my abilities.”
Coatesville kept the pedal to the metal in the third period as Jhamir Brickus scored 10 of his points in the period. As much as the Cougars tried to come back, Coatesville was just too sharp on both ends of the floor.
The Raiders shot a torrid 31-for-57 from the field and controlled both the offensive and defensive glass for most of the game. To start the fourth period, Jhamir Brickus stole a pass and swooped in for a score to make it a 63-45 lead. Donovan Brickus then drained a long trey for a 66-45 Coatesville lead and the final five minutes of the game the teams just traded baskets with the Red Raiders safely in front. Coatesville coach Marc Turner talked about his special record-setting guard after the game.
“He just plays at a faster pace than the other players,” Turner said. “Jhamir has a great basketball IQ and he has great court presence, one of the best I have seen at the high school level. As far as tonight, we have three things we try to do. Play hard, play defense and play together and let the chips fall where they may. And tonight we had three guys score 20 points so that helps.”
Coatesville 86, Downingtown East 65
COATESVILLE (86) D. Brickus 2 0-0 5, Stukes 1 0-0 2, Bryant 8 5-5 21, Jh. Brickus 8 6-6 22, Stewart 4 3-4 12, Whitfield 0 2-2 2, Proctor 7 3-4 20, Hunter 1 0-2 2, Maki 0 0-0 0. Totals 31 19-21 86.
OWNINGTOWN EAST (65) Rowe 7 4-5 20, Basilii 0 0-0 0, Owsik 2 0-0 6, Littlepage 0 1-2 1, Umberger 2 0-0 4, Bousom 2 1-2 5, Belgian 2 0-0 6, King 6 6-9 18, Kolinsky 1 0-0 3, Connolly 1 0-0 2. Person 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 12-18 65.
Coatesville 21 19 21 25-86
Downingtown East 18 11 16 20-65
3-point goals: D. Brickus, Stewart, Procor 3, Rowe 2, Owsik 2, Belbin 2, Kolinsky.
