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JUST BECAUSE star guard Maurice "Doo-Wop" Watson is a senior and already committed to Boston University, don't think college scouts have scratched Boys' Latin Charter off their gotta-see list.
Watson's backcourt partner is a 5-7, 160-pound junior named Yahmir Greenlee, and since he boasts skill and terrific academics (3.9 GPA), schools such as Saint Joseph's, Drexel, Penn, Quinnipiac "and Division IIs by the dozens" are already sniffing.
Tuesday, Greenlee totaled 21 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals as the visiting Warriors topped Engineering and Science, 62-59, in what eventually became a pulsating Public League round-of-16 playoff; it was also a Class AAA semifinal.
Then, the lefty received a gigantic heap of praise from his partner.
"He's my favorite player to play with. Ever," Watson said, emphatically.
Say what?
As Watson mentioned, in assorted situations through the years, he has teamed with guys such as Tyreke Evans (NBA), Dion Waiters (Syracuse) and Maalik Wayns (Villanova).
"Yah's heart is bigger than mine," Watson said. "And I have a big heart. He is still young and has so much potential. I love his intensity, his spirit, his will to win. He's so passionate about this game. I took him under my wing when he was a freshman, and I'm doing everything I can - telling college coaches, AAU teams - to help him get the same chances I did."
Upon checking back to redigest Greenlee's stats and learning that Watson posted 30 points, five boards, six assists and seven steals, you're no doubt wondering, "How did this game wound up being a nail-biter?"
Well, the Engineers did enter at 21-1 overall, so despite coming out of Division B, they were not exactly creampuff material. Also, they did slap together a furious rally despite facing a nine-point deficit, at 58-49, with 1:40 remaining.
Guard Sibley Robinson created major excitement with a pair of right-side treys. Then, with 26 seconds remaining, guard Tahjere McCall, fresh off an oral commitment to Holy Family, followed his own miss for a bucket that drew E&S within 60-59.
Off a timeout, football quarterback Eric Lark inbounded for BL. Greenlee caught the ball in the backcourt and flat-out zoomed to the hoop. His lefty layup was perfect at 0:17.
When asked why he'd chosen to be so aggressive, the feisty Greenlee said simply, "I wanted to win."
He then expanded by saying: "I went so hard, because the defender on me was their center. He was too slow to be stickin' me. I knew I could blow by him."
He wrapped up that segment by mentioning a hint of anger he still felt about Robinson's second trey.
"I made a bonehead play," Greenlee maintained. "I told one of my teammates to jump out on him for a double-team. I should have done it myself."
On E&S' final possession, Robinson wound up with the ball on the left wing. He passed it back up top to Dijon Eggleton, who in turn whipped the rock to sub Asante Prophet, who was stationed on the right wing. Forward Carlos Taylor (UMass-Lowell) arrived quickly, stood right there and raised his arms. Prophet's try for a trey became an airball.
Greenlee shot an uncommon 8-for-20 from the floor and 1-for-5 (all in the last 2:01) at the line. Somehow, despite those struggles, he was 4-for-8 on treys.
"I'm always clutch at the line, too," Greenlee said. "Makes me mad."
With a loss, BL's season and Watson's career would have ended. Now he'll play three more times, minimum, and since he owns 2,187 points, he'll certainly surpass some guy named Wilt Chamberlain (Overbrook '55; 2,206) as the No. 2 scorer in city history. Maureece Rice (Strawberry Mansion '03; 2,681) is safe in the No. 1 spot.
Greenlee said he and Watson make such a great tandem "because we're always on the same page. Always . . . Well, if we do have an issue, we pull each other to the side and talk it over. I always tell people we're the best backcourt, because we can go with me at the point and him on the wing, or vice versa."
Taylor managed nine points and five boards, and Lark scored the remaining two points. McCall (18), Eggleton (16) and Robinson (10) led E&S in scoring, McCall claimed seven rebounds, and Eggleton (six) and Brandon Brown (five) were tops in assists.
Greenlee's drive to succeed can be evidenced by the fact he travels all the way to BL, at 55th and Cedar in West Philly, from Germantown/West Mount Airy (unit block of Good Street).
In time, he wants to be an entrepreneur.
When asked what kind of business he'd like to run, he responded, "A baseball card store . . . Or maybe something with posters."
If Greenlee and Watson keep playing like this, they could wind up on one.
Online high school coverage at philly.com/rally.
