Northeast beats World Comm, clinches Public League playoffs

DERYL BAGWELL awakened at 4 o'clock Thursday morning . . . Hopefully.

If not, he likely missed practice and he surely would not want to face disciplinary measures the day after helping Northeast High experience season-extending success.

Wednesday, after the Vikings clinched a playoff spot by besting World Communications Charter, 74-56, in a Public C makeup at Belfield Rec Center, right along the edge of La Salle University's campus, coach Dennis Engelman bounded downstairs and, after addressing another matter, asked everyone whether 6:15 would be a good starting time for today's practice.

What have we here? A John Chaney disciple?

"We usually do that on days when the girls' team has a home game," Bagwell said. "Otherwise, we have to wait around until about 5:15 to start our practice. And sometimes we'll do it on Fridays so we can all just leave after school. I guess we've had maybe 10 to 15 morning practices this season."

Is everyone groggy?

"Just until coach blows his whistle and makes us start running," Bagwell said, laughing. "That wakes us up real fast."

Does a family member make sure Bagwell gets up on time?

"Nope, that's what the clock's for," he said. "If it wasn't for the clock, I'd never be getting up. I'm doing good, though. I've only missed one morning practice."

Does he make sure to go to bed earlier?

"Nah, I still stay up late. Doing my work," he said. "I'm always burning the midnight oil. That's the way it's going to be in college, right? Might as well get used to it."

Is he able to enjoy a normal breakfast?

"I have a great big cereal bowl," he said, demonstrating the size. "Filled with Toaster Strudels."

Wednesday, Bagwell, a 6-1, 175-pound junior point guard, mostly filled up the stat sheet.

With 16 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, he sniffed a triple double and he also posted two steals.

One thing he didn't do was impress himself.

"I wasn't feelin' it out there," he said. "I didn't think I was playin' that good. Things weren't clickin'."

Coulda fooled World Comm, though Bagwell indeed was a shade subpar (6-for-15) from the floor. He was 3-for-8 on treys. Mostly, he was a masterful floor general and was the major reason 20 of Northeast's 29 buckets featured assists.

Bagwell was particularly impressive as the Vikings, who owned a 33-22 halftime lead, created significant space in the first portion of the third quarter. In all, Northeast tallied 20 points in that session. He scored eight and passed for eight more.

"It's always team first, then me. I'm just one of the guys," Bagwell said. "The way I figure, somebody should always be hot. My job is to find him and make sure he gets shots. If I'm hot, OK, I'll take that, too. But I like it better when two or three of us are hot."

Thanks largely to five treys, football quarterback Daquan Bohannan scored 17 points. Walt Archer hit two en route to 15 points. Yusef Savage claimed 13 rebounds and posted 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. Quamier Johnson, Fa'Teem Glenn (17 apiece) and Darius Moore (13) led WC. Glenn added four assists and six steals.

Bagwell spent his first two high school years at Imhotep Charter, but never made it beyond the junior varsity. He lives on the 2200 block of Friendship Street, not far from Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, so Northeast is his neighborhood school.

"I figured I'd come here and see how basketball'd go," he said.

Even with the early risings, he's not complaining.