Shimizu Outfoxes Taft as Kennedy Wins Again, 72-65
It’s hard to believe that Jim Woodard could ever look more befuddled. A picture of exasperation, the Taft High coach sat and watched a rerun of something he’d seen too many times before.
“He makes the adjustments,” Woodard said with a shake of the head. “Every time we play, he makes adjustments.”
The object of Woodard’s frustration was Kennedy Coach Yutaka Shimizu, winner of the evening’s Mr. Goodwrench award for tactically tinkering with Taft’s machinery.
Friday night, Shimizu again outfoxed Taft as Kennedy raised its record to 11-0 with a 72-65 win in a Valley League game at Kennedy.
Last season, Shimizu used a stifling zone defense to handcuff high-scoring Taft guard Kevin Franklin, The Times’ Valley Player of the Year. This time around, Kennedy slowed Taft’s offense by the simplest of measures--leaving it alone.
“He just totally laid off our No. 4 and No. 5 men,” an incredulous Woodard said. “When you don’t guard two guys, it makes it kind of tough on the others to score.”
After Kennedy trailed, 34-30, at the half, Shimizu seemed to offer a challenge: En garde to the unguarded. Taft’s frontline trio of Tony Middleton, Donte McFrazier and Lamont Koonce combined for only two points in the second half and Kennedy’s defense put the clamps on Quincy Watts and Dedan Thomas, who were double-teamed.
Watts, who had averaged 21.4 points, was held to 13. Tony Moten scored 23 for Taft (10-3, 2-2 in league play) and Thomas finished with 20, but the pair combined for only six points in the third quarter as Kennedy took control.
Reserve Randy Brown sparked the rally for Kennedy (3-0 in league play). With his team trailing, 44-41, Brown scored three consecutive baskets to give the Golden Cougars a 47-44 lead. Kennedy held a 49-46 lead after three quarters.
Kennedy guard Uba Satterfield, who finished with 13 points, scored two quick baskets in a 9-4 Kennedy run to open the fourth quarter and guard Cord Bailey connected on 6 of 7 free throws off the bench in the final period to clinch the win.
Clarence Williams and Eugene Miller combined for 30 points to lead Kennedy. Taft’s reserves accounted for only five points.
“Shim’s a good coach,” Woodard said. “I don’t know what it is, but we never score points against these guys.”