Betancourt lifts 5-0 Kensington

THIS TIME next winter, if all goes according to plan, Jamie Betancourt's teeth will not chatter like crazy each time he walks down the street.

To borrow and slightly alter a famous saying, it pays to have friends in warm places.

Betancourt, a 6-1, 160-pound senior, is a promising combo guard for Kensington High's basketball team, and one of his best buddies is Daiquan Walker, who last year helped Constitution win the overall Public League title and the PIAA Class A state championship, and now is making early headway for the University of Central Florida.

Walker knows a guy . . . who knows a guy . . . who knows a guy . . .

"He's trying to hook me up," Betancourt said. "It's almost certain I'll be doing a prep-school year in Florida. Probably in the Orlando area. There are a couple possibilities. Just not sure which one it's going to be.

"I'll be down there to improve my overall game, while getting bigger and stronger. Hopefully, I'll get some nice Division I offers."

Wednesday, Betancourt showed hints of such potential as the Tigers bested visiting Palumbo, 56-48, in a showdown between Public D squads that entered with 4-0 records.

Just not when he was shooting.

Betancourt totaled six apiece of rebounds, assists and steals, but reached 13 points only because he drained - here comes that number again - six consecutive free throws in the waning moments. Overall, he was 3-for-16 from the floor and 7-for-10 at the line.

"Yeah, I knew was off," Betancourt said. "When that happens, I just try to make sure I'm getting my teammates even more involved and doing the other things that'll get us wins."

Perhaps Betancourt's poor shooting could be blamed on Michael Jordan. This was Jamie's first time playing a game in "cool gray" Jordan sneakers (price tag: $160) he received as a primary Christmas present. Wait, on second thought, let's blame inactivity.

Kensington's hoops programs has never been confused with those in the upper echelon, and the Tigers did not compete in a holiday tournament. Their only official activity during the break was one practice last Thursday.

Like all Pub games, this one originally was scheduled for Thursday. It and almost all others were moved up to Wednesday, the day classes resumed, because of what will be districtwide early dismissals Thursday.

And it wasn't as if the atmosphere could get him going. The "crowd" topped out at 28, and more than half of those spectators were members of the boys' JV and girls' varsity, which practiced afterward while splitting the gym.

Kensington is now in year No. 2 of playing games at its newest campus, at Front and Berks. That's the Creative and Performing Arts building. The Tigers also use students from the original Kenzo, on Cumberland east of Frankford Avenue (which Betancourt attends), and one other satellite.

"Of the guys that play a lot, it's only me and Mike Davis from our school," Betancourt said. "I only see these other guys for basketball, really."

And little interaction took place during the break.

"I felt a little weak and dizzy out there," Betancourt said. "My conditioning fell off. I went to the gym a few times and played some pickup games, but it's not the same as being [in a regular routine]. I'll get it back on track."

With Julius VanGuine and Davis mostly leading the way, Kensington stormed to a 31-11 lead in the first 18 1/2 minutes as Palumbo missed 20 of its first 25 shots. The Griffins did storm back, however, getting all the way within 40-39 before the Tigers regrouped.

Kensington's Isaiah Hill (11 total rebounds) posted 20 of his 23 points after intermission. VanGuine finished with 13 points and four apiece of assists/steals.

For Palumbo, forward Jameal Tucker, a star student drawing interest on all three levels, bagged 23 points and eight rebounds. Mike Chau, a junior center with the build of a farm boy, swept 16 boards and scored most of his 12 points on follows. Calvin Francis added six assists and five steals.

Betancourt, who played for Prep Charter through the 10th grade, lives on Howard Street near Lehigh Avenue, and his friendship with Daiquan Walker goes back 5 or 6 years.

"He doesn't live too far," Betancourt said. "We used to work out in gyms or outdoors until late at night."

He smiled.

"Real late, late at night."

Maybe they'll repeat the process next year in Florida.

High school coverage online at www.philly.com/rally.