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In its vision statement, Charles Y. Audenried High School, 3301 Tasker St., makes its concern for its students apparent. One section states “…we acknowledge that learning to cooperate, solve problems, communicate and work productively with others will help them thrive in an ever changing global society.”
On Jan. 14, the boys’ basketball team showed its receptivity to that snippet, mounting a fourth-quarter comeback that fell short in a 66-63 home loss to non-league foe Bok Technical High School, 1901 S. Ninth St.
The thrilling action that produced the close finish was not possible last year, as the school, now only in its third year in its Grays Ferry building, fielded just a junior varsity squad. Not content with moral victories, the 16 varsity players covet quantifiable ones and suffered only their second loss against nine wins in the contest.
The Rockets, formerly the Warriors, compete in the Public League’s 12-team Division D — one of the city’s two Class AA groupings — along with the Academy at Palumbo, 1100 Catharine St., and today’s road opponent, CAPA, 901 S. Broad St. The nickname fits well, as the unique team has ascended quickly under the tutelage of Tina Wiggins, who last year headed the boys’ varsity team at Horace Furness, 1900 S. Third St.
Now enrolling just over 400 students, Audenried opened in Sept. 2008 with only a freshman class. It came three years after the original building closed and two years after its demolition. Adding a new class each year, the school will be senior-free until late summer. The accumulation of bodies at the expansive building has kept athletic director Bob Miller busy scheduling activities to occupy their limbs.
“We are trying to add at least one new sport each year,” he said of the school’s offerings.
While the boys’ varsity team played in the boys’ gymnasium, the junior varsity girls’ unit played around the hall. The athletic brethren for the teams include coed varsity golf and track and field squads, a boys’ varsity lacrosse team, a boys’ junior varsity soccer unit, a girls’ varsity volleyball team and a dedicated cheerleading squad.
“Next year, I would like to add coed bowling and cross-country,” Miller, who coaches the golf team, said.
Miller offered his thoughts as the boys practiced layups and jump shots. Their gymnasium will celebrate two years of hosting dreams next month. Many of the players are adept outside of the space, as Miller revealed that other sports occupy around half of the team.
“We draw most of our students from Grays Ferry,” Miller said, adding that the aforementioned schools had enrolled many of the current Audenried learners. “Little by little, we are getting our kids back.”
Juawann Mason is one example of a Grays Ferry resident who has come home. A resident of the 3000 block of Moore Street, he transferred from Furness and serves as the master of the glass for the Rockets.
A relatively undersized team with no player over 6-foot-3, the Rockets rely on the athleticism of the 5-foot-11 Mason, a shooting guard/small forward; junior point guard/shooting guard Daquan Jones; sophomore center/power forward Jamir Leach; sophomore shooting guard Qaadir Nock; and junior point guard Maurice Wiltbanks. Leading them is Southwest resident Wiggins, who is one of two female Public League boys’ basketball coaches, with Doreen Coleman, her successor at Furness, the other.
Wiggins sent out her troops against Bok’s Wildcats less than a day after a 77-56 league-win over Saul High School. The Rockets, who captured their first title at last month’s Winter Classic, showed some signs of fatigue early on but ended the first eight minutes with a 17-16 lead.
Perimeter shooting let them down in the second frame, leaving them with a 33-29 halftime deficit.
“You’re not hungry enough,” Wiggins informed the players. “Jumpers aren’t working; take the ball inside this half.”
Adept listeners, the teenagers swarmed the rim, but their shots would not fall. Mason, who collected 14 rebounds, attacked the boards with each miss, but the Wildcats, who entered with a lone victory, ended the third with a 53-42 edge.
Wiggins, who also coaches the volleyball and track and field teams, encouraged her charges to remain intense, and they responded by chipping away at Bok’s lead. The inside attempts began to fall, as did a few long-range efforts. Free throws, however, refused to drop, as Nock missed the second heave of two shots that would have tied the game.
Bok rebounded the miss, one of 16 for the Rockets, and added a deuce to pad their lead to three. A frenzied crown hoped for heroics as the clock withered, but the obnoxious horn signalled the end without the hosts having a decent look at a chance to extend the game.
The entertaining tilt proved the grit of the young team, which, according to Miller, had more than 60 students try out. Courtesy of their success heading into the game, the players seemed stunned in the locker room.
“We should have won today,” Wiggins said as they reflected on the setback that cost the school its seven-game winning streak.
The proximity of the locker rooms meant Audenried could hear Bok’s celebration and led to a discussion of their need to help one another out on defense and take “the little things,” like free throws, more seriously in practice.
“I liked the fourth quarter, but we needed that intensity throughout,” Wiggins told her nodding players. “We expected to win but here we are. Let’s regroup.”
Mason, who finished with 13 points, certainly expected a victory.
“We work well together but our communication was off today, and free throws killed us,” he said.
Wiltbanks, a team captain, attributes the Rockets’ great start to teamwork and Wiggins’ instruction.
“I love my coach,” the resident of the 2000 block of Cleveland Street said. “She wants so much for us. Today was odd, but we’ll rebound.”
In Tuesday’s home game against Bodine, the Rockets did just that, winning 91-32 to take their league record to 6-0.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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