| By Marc Raimondi
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| Sabrina Jeridore, who plays for the AAU NY Xplosion, has had a break-out couple of weeks. |
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Rose Classic round-up: Jeridore rounding into form
A few weeks ago, Sabrina Jeridore sat down for a one-on-one conversation
June 7, 2009
with Dom Cecala, her AAU coach with the NY Xplosion. It has been an up and down few months for the talented, 6-foot-4 junior, who transferred from Bayonne (N.J.) to Francis Lewis in the fall.
In the talk, Cecala questioned Jeridore’s toughness.
Since then, Jeridore has steadily improved. She scored 16 points to lead the West team in a 79-78 loss to the East in the Rose Classic All-Star Game on Sunday afternoon at JHS 113 in Brooklyn. Had her squad scored two more points, she would have walked away with the game’s most valuable player award.
“She’s really come along,” said Cecala, who was watching from the stands. “I told her to just play tougher. After that talk, she’s been great.”
Jeridore scored on nifty moves in the post, on offensive rebounds and even a few mid-range jumpers. Her key this summer, she said, is to work on her strength.
“Even though I have the moves and the skill [in the post], it takes strength and effort,” Jeridore said.
Cecala said he’s noticed an improvement in that already.
“Now when she’s making those moves, she’s not doing it half-assed,” he said.
This is a crucial summer for Jeridore. She already has interest from schools like Richmond, Miami, Iona, Marquette, Hofstra, American, St. John’s and West Virginia. With her size and ability, Jeridore is a lock for a Division I scholarship.
This year the issues were with creaky knees, which she said have improved, and drama at Francis Lewis. Longtime coach Mike Eisenberg was reassigned in December. Before that, the Patriots were one of the favorites to make it the PSAL Class AA city championship game at Madison Square Garden. Jeridore, Kelly Robinson and Ayana Duncanson, all juniors, transferred in this season.
“Everybody set the bar for us so high,” Jeridore said. “It was a lot on our shoulders.”
That’s in the past now and, with her newfound toughness, things look bright for Jeridore.
“I like her approach right now,” Cecala said.
St. John’s signee honored: NY Elite/Silver Bullets guard Eugeneia McPherson, who will play at St. John’s University in the fall, was given the Rose Classic MVP award for this spring. McPherson, who couldn’t play this weekend due to a broken nose, was surprised when tournament co-founder Anton Marchand called her name at halftime of the championship game Sunday.
“There are a lot of people who played better,” she said with a laugh.
Marchand said statistically, due to her consistency, she was a clear choice for the honor. With her, NY Elite/Silver Bullets probably would have made it past the quarterfinals Sunday. But that wasn’t the only reason she took it.
“She carries herself the right way,” Marchand said. “She’s respectful. We look for stuff like that. It’s not just her ability.”
McPherson, out of North Babylon (L.I.) HS, officially starts at St. John’s on July 6. The award, she said, was an honor because of past winners like Epiphanny Prince, Erica Morrow and China Crosby.
“Those people went on to do big things in college,” McPherson said of Prince (Rutgers) and Morrow (Syracuse). “Hopefully, I can do the same thing.”
Notes: The most improved award went to Positive Direction guard Karin Robinson, a sophomore at Mary Louis. … Brooklyn Saints forward Shanaira Styles, out of Petrides, was given the scholar-athlete award. The senior has a 99.9 grade-point average at the Staten Island school. … Exodus NYC guard Bria Hartley, Golden Girls guard Shenneika Smith, New Heights forward Porsha Postell, Swagger Like Us guard Alicia Cropper and NY Xplosion guard Kelly Robinson were named to the All-Rose Classic first team. The second team was Exodus NYC guard Jennifer O’Neill, Team Prince guard Baytania Newman, Brooklyn Saints forward Jessica Previlon, NY Xplosion forward Kyra Aloizos and Team Freckles forward Latorri Hines-Allen.
mraimondi@fiveborosports.com
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