Longs and short of it at McDevitt

EVERY TIME No. 12 or 34 notches a field goal in the gym at Bishop McDevitt High, PA announcer David Luby, also the junior varsity coach, breaks out his signature call. "Looooooonnnnnnng!"

Out of respect, the stretch-out for No. 12 should be a little, well, longer.

Those uniform numbers belong to Kenyatta and Tyrell Long, a senior point guard and junior forward/center. They're not related, but anyone who followed the Lancers in the 2009-10 season can probably report that the first of those names rings a bell.

Sunday, varsity coach Jack Rutter figured Kenyatta had started every game through all four seasons, but he missed by one.

"I had to sit out one game in the 10th grade," Kenyatta said. "I was on the bench to watch, but I couldn't play because I was coming off the flu.

"It would have been cool to be able to say I played in every single game. I never would have pictured that. But this way's not bad."

Kenyatta Long, a 5-7, 145-pound lefty, discussed his Lancer hoops history late Sunday afternoon, after helping to fuel a 64-61 Catholic League win over visiting Father Judge.

That victory was not secured until the very last instant, when a trey by Jeff Seigafuse, launched from maybe two steps inside halfcourt, not far from the scorers' table, was deflected by the leaping T. Long.

Aside from scoring 10 points and dishing six assists, K. Long snagged nine rebounds. Geez, is that a CL record for someone who stands 5-7?

"My career high is 10," he said. "I had that as a freshman against Saul." (Good-natured side note: Saul was not exactly a hoops factory. It has since dropped the sport.)

Long's mother, Malika Matthew, works at McDevitt as the school accountant, and Kenyatta's brother, Avery Long, played for the Lancers (class of 2009), so he was familiar with the basketball program long before he joined it. He even attended camps/clinics supervised by Rutter.

Nonetheless, wasn't he a little surprised when he became an instant starter?

"That first game, I didn't know if I'd be a starter or not," Long said. "I definitely wouldn't have predicted it. But when coach Rutter called out my name, I was excited and that gave me motivation.

"Coming into my freshman year, I was just thinking about doing my best so I could make it onto the varsity. I had to get rid of any nervous feelings. I knew the potential my game had. I'd say to myself, 'I can handle this.' My brother always motivated me. He said to go hard at everybody, so my name could get out there."

Through the years, Long has become a much more polished floor leader. There are times when his perpertual-motion work still acts, but mostly he tones things down.

"I try to keep down my turnovers," he said. "I want to lead my team and make sure we're well organized. I want to make the whole starting five look good."

This one featured a rare occurrence. En route to 26 points, Tyrell Long scored McDevitt's first nine. And then, as the second half began, Carl Garner, having been limited to just two points (on free throws), tallied 10 of his team's first 11 markers. He soared all the way to 20.

"When they've got it going like that, I really put my trust in them," Kenyatta said. "I'll overload to one side, then try to isolate them. They had it going nice."

Of his rebounding heroics, Kenyatta laughed while saying, "For my size, I think I jump pretty high. When I see the ball coming in my direction, I automatically think I can get it."

As the third quarter ended, T. Long canned a follow to break a 43-43 tie. He opened the fourth with a layup off hard drive along the left baseline and soon K. Long, oh my, with no Crusader seemingly paying attention, was making an uncontested layup off an inbound pass from Tymere Wilder. Garner then drained a three-pointer and McDevitt led, 52-43.

Even with 48 seconds left, the Lancers still owned a seven-point pad, at 58-51, thanks to two free throws by Tyreek Fairfax. But triples by Seigafuse, sub Aaron Higgins and Seigafuse again lit up the gym thereafter and the spread was only three after T. Long missed the back end of a double-bonus at 3.9.

Yet another three by Seigafuse (25 points; almost double his previous career high of 13) would have been his sixth of the game.

T. Long bounced for nine boards, three blocks and three steals while Garner shot 5-for-10 (three treys) and 7-for-8. Wilder collected three assists.

Seigafuse shot 9-for-12 and 2-for-3. Malik Robinson (13 points), Seigafuse and Higgins thirded 18 rebounds and Sean Hanna had four assists.

Though Kenyatta Long formerly lived in the Northeast, and originally envisioned attending Judge or Archbishop Ryan, he can now be found on West Clapier Street, right off Wayne Avenue, in Germantown. In college, he wants to major in sports management. Not accounting?

Rutter was standing right there.

He cracked, "I taught him that here. I don't think he knows it."