Strawberry Mansion beats Imhotep in five overtimes

Khalil Meadows said he wasn't anywhere close to tired.

After starting and finishing a Public C basketball instant classic that lasted one, two, three, four, five overtimes, how could he not have been?

"Well, up until the third OT, I didn't really play that much," he said. "After the game, everybody was saying how exhausted they were. And they kept drinking water. Not me. I was fine."

Meadows is a 5-11, 155-pound senior wing guard at Strawberry Mansion High and yesterday, before an energized, overflow crowd, he totaled 14 points as the visiting Knights topped Imhotep Charter, 88-82, to remain unbeaten at 17-0.

His best moment - probably the team's, too - occurred with 23.8 seconds remaining in the fourth OT. With Mansion trailing, 78-74, and almost on life support, Meadows accepted a pass from Marquette commit Devonte' "DJ" Newbill and launched a right-corner trey.

Bang!

On the subsequent inbound play, an Imhotep player was detected pushing off. Point guard Cedrick Powell hit one of two free throws to necessitate yet another extra session.

"I was just standing there. Dead in the corner," Meadows said. "I had a feeling DJ would pass it to me. I had fresh legs. I caught the ball and just stepped into the shot.

"I know people say corner shots can be hard. I like them. You can really feel them. I knew I was going to hit that."

Meadows estimated he played only 10 of 40 possible minutes before the third OT.

"Coach Stan [Laws, now handling day-to-day operations for Gerald Hendricks] said he didn't mean to sit me that long," Meadows said. "He said he forgot about me, a little, but that it must have been God's plan because of how things turned out.

"It was kind of frustrating, having to watch so much of the game. Some of our fans were even screaming for me. I just kept the right attitude, so I'd be ready going back in there."

Meadows finished 5-for-6 from the floor and 4-for-7 at the line. He was the lowest Knight in double figures, following Newbill (22), Khyree Wooten and Marque Griffin (18 apiece).

Earl Brown was spectacular for Imhotep with 22 points and 13 rebounds while Terrell Johnson added 19 points.

It was Brown's tip-in, of a missed free throw, that forced the fourth OT. At the end of regulation (46-46 tie) and the first and second OTs, with the score knotted, Mansion held the ball for final shots. Nothing panned out.

In OT No. 4, with 14.9 seconds showing, Griffin (also six assists) hit a pair of free throws to provide an 86-82 lead.

"[Laws] told me, 'Concentrate on these. Follow through and put your hand through the rim,' " Griffin said.

When asked whether he'd felt nervous, Griffin responded, "Nah, not really."

Said Meadows: "I'm proud of him. He shoots so many foul shots in practice. Makes 'em, too."

Meadows, who lives in Overbrook Park, is a transfer from Delaware Valley Charter. He said he appreciates the increased exposure he's receiving at Mansion and that everyone is pushing him hard to fare better in his classes, as well as on the SAT.

His career goal: athletic trainer. What would have been needed yesterday if the game had gone much longer: Emergency personnel to treat the fainters.

"It was a great game for the spectators," Meadows said. "Two teams just really going at it. Nobody was scoring, like, two straight baskets because the defense was being played real tough."