Wooten helps Imhotep go fourth to state playoffs

FOR ONE member of Imhotep Charter's basketball team, the last 10 days have been only three-fourths as rough as they could have been.

Khyree Wooten, a 6-2, 180-pound senior wing guard, has been forced to answer questions via Facebook, Twitter and text messages, but the in-person contact has been pretty much nonexistent.

"I'm not in school right now," Wooten said, meaning he's not taking classes. "I'm on an internship. Things like breaking down film with my coach."

As that man, Andre Noble, explained, the internship involves much more than imitating Ebert & Roeper. Wooten is being schooled on the assorted ins and outs of sports. So far, that experience has ranged from helping Imhotep's younger student-athletes get familiar with the NCAA Clearinghouse to making sure no MRSA-causing germs can be found in the locker room.

Meanwhile, Feb. 14 was the day the Panthers lost to visiting Communications Tech, 66-61, in a Public League round-of-16 playoff.

Poof! went their chances of winning a fourth consecutive championship.

"It hurt," Wooten said. "Had to get over it, though. Our thought became, 'Let's go win a state title.' "

Thursday, with a 5:30 start, Imhotep hosted Delaware Valley Charter to determine the fourth seed in the upcoming Class AA playoffs. On March 3, CT and Bishop McDevitt will meet to decide the City Title and the first-second seeds. Roberts Vaux is locked in at No. 3.

Thanks to 65-46 win in a very weird game, Imhotep owns the No. 4 spot and Del-Val will face a team from District 1 (details TBA) for one last chance to qualify.

Why was this game weird? Try this: 'Hotep won by 19 despite scoring one measly point over a 10-minute stretch.

The Panthers jumped to an 8-2 advantage in the first 2 minutes. Points Nos. 10 and 11 didn't come until 3:53 remained in the first half, when Devin Liggeons converted a drive.

Wooten, a productive scorer from 'way back, produced just three points before intermission. But he finished with 20 points and three old-fashioned three-point plays were part of the package. So was an authoritative, two-handed dunk down the stretch.

Wooten, a lefty who tends to dunk righthanded, earlier missed a throwdown.

"I thought I got undercut a little on that one," he said. "It knocked me off my balance. Just wanted to make sure that last time."

All things considered, though it placed first in the top division during the regular season, Imhotep's failure to again win the Pub should not have been that surprising. Noble often used a nine-man rotation last season. Wooten and Brandon Austin, a now-junior combo guard who recently committed to Penn State, are the lone returnees.

"I knew it would be tough [to repeat], but I was surprised we got knocked out so early," Wooten said. "I did think we had the talent to win it again."

Wooten played his first two varsity seasons at Strawberry Mansion, and he was a mainstay there even as a freshman. His two Imhotep seasons have produced 608 points and his career total stands at 1,115. He continues to work on all aspects and preliminary interest has come from the likes of Rider, Missouri State and Florida Atlantic. Just in case, IIs and IIIs are also remaining in touch.

"After that game with Comm Tech, everybody wanted to know, 'How'd y'all lose? . . . How'd y'all lose?' " Wooten said. "I didn't have to hear it [in person]. I was getting it a little today before the game from people just trying to be funny. Like, 'Y'all gonna lose again?' "

The 6-6 Austin, who appears to have the arms of a 7-footer, totaled 13 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Nigel Grant had 10 points and seven boards and Kamani Jordan dealt six assists while hitting three treys en route to 11 points.

James Edwards (14), Clayton "CJ" Wolfe (13) and Fateem Brockington (10) scored in double figures for D-V and Antwan Scriven claimed seven rebounds.

Imhotep went 19-for-23 at the line while D-V went - brace yourself; and I mean really brace yourself - 3-for-16. Two front ends were among the misses.

Wooten could not relate. He went 7-for-7 on free throws. In that area, there's no need to serve an internship.

Online high school coverage at philly.com/rally.