EBA Wizards Win Big Over APBL NYC524 Squad

The Eastern Basketball Alliance New York Wizards faced off against the APBL Eastern Division leading NYC524 squad on Friday 12/28 at Fundamental Sports Training in Westbury.  For the Wizards it was a different date, against a different opponent, but the same outcome - a dominating 125-104 win!

What the NYC524 opponent found was what the APBL Jaguars found out just a few weeks earlier – The Wizards are a physical and dominating defensive club!  The Wizards held the 524 squad to just 14 points in the first quarter (this after holding the Jaguars to 24 points in a half just two weeks earlier).

“We pride our self on our hard work and defensive effort” Stated Wizards Head Coach Greg Cerillo Sr. “Most clubs at this level consider defense what you do while waiting to score.  To play for the Wizards you have to be able to cover.  What makes this club unique though, is that as good as they are defensively, they can really fill it up and score some points.”

The 524 squad was led by Lloyd Clinton’s 35 points, and James Williams 18 points and 13 rebounds.

“Clinton presents matchup problems” Continued Cerillo “He can score from deep and is long enough to post up”

But the Wizards presented a team scoring problem for the NYC524 Team with 7 of its 11 dressed players scoring in double digits for the game!

The starting front court for the Wizards was outstanding!  For the second straight game the Wizards were led in scoring by 6’6” small forward Khalil McDonald from Queens College who had 24 points and 7 rebounds.  6’6” power forward Brandon Lawley (Mansfiled) contributed 17 points while pulling down 14 boards, and 6’9” center Ant Cox (Farmingdale) scored 14 points with 13 rebounds (7 offensive rebounds).

The Wizards continue to have one of the best backcourts in minor league basketball.  Two time EBA MVP Aubin Scott (LIU) contributed 17 points to go along with 8 assists.  Aubin once again took the paint at will against his opponents creating easy shots for himself and his teammates.  6’3” Shavar Richardson (Florida Atlantic) contributed some efficient long range shooting for the second straight game finishing the contest with 13 points.

For any opponents of the Wizards this season, it will be the depth of this club which may be hard to match.  If the Wizards players above didn’t present enough difficulties for Team 524 in came 6’6” Sai’Quon Stone (Southern Mississippi) with 12 points, 5 boards, and 4 steals,  6’2” Trinity Fields (Iona) with 14 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals, and 6’1” Eric Ferguson (Arkansas) 6 points, 6 assists, 4 steals,!

“We will match up to any style of play” Continued Cerillo “Our purpose behind these games is to show the quality of our league (EBA) and the quality of my players for overseas opportunities.  I think we are doing just that.  Players don’t need to be leading scorers to secure better opportunities.  They need to be productive.”

Example of this was the play of Kevin Terry (Montana State) who started the second half for the Wizards and totally changed the tempo of the game.  Terry pushed the ball up and down the floor at a pace difficult for the opponents to match.  This up tempo style of play produced 35 points for the Wizards in the quarter with Terry getting 3 assists and 2 steals.  Early Mills (6’6”) shot 3-4 from the filed finishing with 6 points, and Levy Mwanza (6’8”) finished with 2 points and 2 rebounds.

Overseas coaches and GM’s are recognizing the effectiveness in what is referred to as the Wizards Way, with 9 players securing overseas or paid contracts in slightly less than 2 seasons!