With time to spare, Green leads Archbishop Carroll to win at Roman

Juan'ya Green did not obey his coach. At least not completely.

But since the end result was a monumental Catholic League victory, here's doubting Green will be forced to run punishment sprints at Archbishop Carroll High's next basketball practice. In fact, the campus might now feature his statue.

In case you're wondering how any regular-season win can be considered momumental, be advised that Carroll won yesterday at Roman Catholic. Home defeats for the Cahillites almost never happen. When one does - this was only the seventh over the last 23 seasons - the ultimate hero gets a story to tell for life.

Here's the meat of Green's:

With Carroll and Roman locked in a 59-59 tie, created at 0:41 as Roman's Shafeek Taylor hit a 15-foot jumper, the former's coach, Paul Romanczuk, called time at 26.4.

In classic deadpan fashion, Romanczuk said much later, "I drew up the most original play a coach can draw up - get the ball to your best player and let him create."

At the high school level, and especially in Roman's narrow gym, where the three-point arc meets the sideline at the midpoint of the foul lane, 26 seconds can rival an eternity. Teams often wind up holding for the last shot, then commit the last turnover.

But Romanczuk had faith. So much so, in fact, he wanted Green, a 6-3, 200-pound wing guard bound for Niagara, to wait until the waning moments, so Roman would have no last chance.

Oops.

After being handed the ball within an inch of halfcourt, Green dribbled and juked and repeated the process and, eventually, blew past defender Britton Lee down the right side of the lane. Fortunat "Junior" Kangudi, Roman's leaping big guy, came over to challenge, but Green successfully protected the ball and kissed a layup off the glass at 0:07.

The Cahillites rushed upcourt. Freshman Shep Garner got a great look on a right-wing trey from right in front of Roman's bench.

Maybe 2 inches too long. Carroll 61, Roman 59. Green celebrated the two-point win by twice pounding his heart.

Romanczuk had given Green three options. Launch a trey. Penetrate and pull up for a midrange jumper. Take it all the way to the glass.

"Juan'ya's such a tough player to guard because of his size and quickness," Romanczuk said. "He can make plays and shots in the toughest of environments, and he did that. Been there. Done that."

Green said he started his sashay early "because [Lee] was playing me kind of close, and I didn't want to get a 5-second call for a turnover. I figured I'd just go.

"In my mind, originally, I was thinking I'd back him up with my dribble and then take a jumper. But when I saw I had a lane, I just went. I expected [Kangudi] to come over, and he did. So I had to change my shot a little."

Green watched Garner's last shot from maybe 5 feet away. Alec Stavetski and a flying-toward-him Yosef Yacob were closer.

"I got scared for a moment," Green said. "When I saw it hit the back of the rim, I thought maybe it was going to bounce up and fall in."

Green finished 6-for-15 (one trey) and 3-for-4 for 16 points, while adding four assists and three steals. He scored nine of the Patriots' last 13 points over the final 4 minutes and before that hot streak began, he'd missed his last seven shots. His layup put his team ahead for good, at 50-49, and then he quickly added a trey.

"If I'm having a bad [shooting] game, I know what I'm supposed to do: Pass the ball and play defense," he said. "Coach always tells me to be the leader, even vocally, and to do everything hard and lead us to victory. If I do that, the others will follow."

Help was everywhere in this classic team triumph.

Tracy Peal had seven points and 11 rebounds (while helping to limit Kangudi to five). Jay Donovan hit all five of his shots (three treys) for 13 points and snagged seven boards. Shane Randall, the sixth man, posted two field goals to rally Carroll into a 45-45 tie and then found Donovan for a threeball. Stavetski and Yacob added nine and eight points, respectively.

For Roman, Montana Mayfield (21) mad-bombed four treys. Taylor had nine points, seven rebounds and three assists.

After the win, Romanczuk was as happy as his players. Maybe moreso, since he fully understood the significance.

"Coach kept talking about that - how not many people win in Roman's gym," Green said.

"There's a sense of pride walking out of here with a win," Romanczuk said. "People just don't do that."

Carroll did yesterday, as its star made the most of his Green light.