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Like many city basketball stalwarts, Shafeek Taylor has a dad who was also a darn good player.
Unlike many, assumedly, he also has a mom who knows a thing or three about hoops.
Taylor is a 6-4, 190-pound junior forward for Roman Catholic High. His dad, Marshall, starred at point guard for Southern's 1986 Public League champions (feature attraction: Lionel Simmons), then became the floor leader at Texas Tech.
As for mom . . . Well, let's hear it from Shafeek.
"She played on the varsity at Bok as a NINTH-grader," he said.
Hmm. Is it possible the former Cassandra McDuffie knows more about hoops than her hubby?
"She thinks she does, but she doesn't," Shafeek said.
Before Shafeek gets grounded for a week, let us report he delivered that assessment with a hearty laugh.
Last night at Philadelphia University, used by Roman for playoff home games because its court isn't regulation sized, Taylor shot 7-for-12 (one trey) and 4-for-5 for 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Cahillites muffled Archbishop Ryan, 53-43, in a Catholic League quarterfinal.
Then he talked family, especially how his dad stepped away this season from assisting at Philadelphia & Electrical Technology Charter, of the Public League, so he could routinely watch Shafeek's games and offer much more tangible support.
Almost completely, that has happened. But there was one game -- vs. Conwell-Egan, if Shafeek remembers correctly -- that Dad could not attend, and that left Mom in charge.
"She told me afterward that I needed to play better on defense and try to get every rebound," Shafeek said. "And then she told me to go to the park and practice my jump shots AND foul shots.
"That was the game when I missed four foul shots . . . oh, and three open jumpers. So, she was definitely right in what she said. She was bringin' it for my dad."
After this one, it's likely Mom and Dad only sang Shakeek's praises.
He was productive throughout and, more importantly, he looked thoroughly involved from the emotional and hustle standpoint. Also, he came up with a series of clutch plays.
Shortly before halftime, Gage Galeone hit a trey to draw Ryan within 18-17. Bang! Taylor answered with one of his own. Late in the third quarter, with the Cahillites' lead in the nothing-special category at 33-27, Taylor got the ball on the right baseline. As he started to gather himself for a short jumper, a Ryan defender slapped the ball hard. Most guys would have fumbled it. Not Taylor. Not this time. He maintained possession and easily scored.
Next time down, Ryan's Nick Aughenbaugh blocked a tight shot by Raquan Brown-Johnson. You know who was there for the follow, right?
And then, with a shade under three minutes remaining, Taylor made a halfcourt steal by flicking the ball away from a Ryan player while simultaneously directing it toward Roman's basket. He gathered it in and went hard for the hoop, then hit two free throws after getting crunched.
"I'm just trying to play as hard as possible. Trying to do those things that'll get us wins and the chip," Taylor said. "I know I'm still a junior, but I want this thing NOW.
"I've really been working on playing hard at both ends all the time. That's what the real players do."
As veteran CL watchers could tell you, playing against Ryan is no walk in the park. Barely a crawl, much of the time. The vastly undersized Raiders take their time while treating every possession extra special.
When most players are asked whether they like playing against Ryan, they can't say "'No way!" quickly enough. And then there's Shafeek Taylor . . .
"I don't mind at all," he said. "I like it, actually. You know you're going to be working the whole time. Your mind and heart have to be into it. It's a challenge. Stop your man at this end. Beat him at the other. Actually, the trick is to play such GREAT defense that they get tired just from running their offense. Then you take advantage at the other end."
Rashann London (12, also eight rebounds) was the only other Cahillite to score in double figures. Aughenbaugh topped Ryan with 10 points while the ever-unselfish Kyle Slawter (five assists) became one of the few starters (maybe the only?) in CL playoff history to take no shots.
Taylor, who lives on McClellan Street, near 17th and Mifflin, in South Philly, has received offers from Robert Morris and Rider while schools such as Drexel and Penn State are keeping tabs.
Short aside to those coaches: Dad AND Mom are available for insight.
