Jackets Down Stafford, 65-55 to Notch 11th Win of Season

While an 11-1 start and a spotless 6-0 Battlefield District mark might be enough to inflate the collective ego of your average high school basketball team, James Monroe boys' basketball Coach Antonio Coghill simply isn't buying into the notion. And after Tuesday's 65-55 win over potential Commonwealth District contender Stafford, the only thing on the Yellow Jackets' mind is the task at hand.

"We're going to make sure the coaches and the players know, it's one game at a time," said Coghill. "It might sound clichéd, but tomorrow is the most important game we've got. We can't afford to look past anybody."

For JM, tomorrow means a trip down to King George for a date with the Foxes. A win means the Yellow Jackets reach the mid-way point of district play without a blemish.

Senior forward Bruce Johnson, who had a team-high 16 points, believes Jayem has a chance at a special season, as long as the team remains resolute in its endgame.

"I think we can go far," said Johnson after the game. "If we can just keep our heads together, keep our mindset, and keep our grades straight, I think we can win states."

The emerging play of Johnson, matched with the expected output of 6'11'' Te'Quan Alers (16 points) has given JM a definite physical presence in the paint. 

"Bruce has been playing well," said Coghill of the senior forward. "He's been rebounding, he's been scoring, doing all the little things."

While Alers and Johnson provided the ammunition inside Tuesday, senior guard Jaamir Bumbrey delivered from beyond the arc with three 3-point field goals.

Although James Monroe opened the game on a 6-0 run, the Indians (7-7) clawed to stay in the game in the first half, led by Da'Shawn Harris' 23 points. A lay-up by Stafford senior forward Samuel Randolph just before halftime pulled the Blue and Gold within two, 29-27 at the break.

After yielding two quick field goals to start the half, James Monroe made a key defensive adjustment, accounting for Stafford's propensity to pop the quick jumper.

"We tried to go man, but I don't know if that was working too well," said Johnson of his team's defensive strategy. "We switched to a zone; they were playing for the jumper most of the game and we tried to trap them whenever they pulled up."

It worked. The Yellow Jackets built a double-digit lead with four minutes remaining in the third quarter, and expanded the advantage to 13, 62-49, with two minutes remaining in the final stanza after a trey by Bumbrey and a put back by Alers.

Harris pulled Stafford within nine with 45 seconds left, but the outcome was never in doubt.

James Monroe Scoring

B. Johnson 16

Alers 16

Ja. Bumbrey 11

Ju. Bumrey 7

Scott 5

K. Conway 4

Ferguson 4

Finnie 2