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As Ralik Wise joined his teammates at South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St., in presenting coach Doreen Coleman with a pre-game birthday cake Jan. 24, he surely believed a victory against Simon Gratz High School would complement the sweet offering.
Despite receiving 25 points and 22 rebounds from the senior center, the Rams fell 64-61 to the Bulldogs in a riveting Division B Public League basketball battle. Even with the home loss, the Lower Moyamensing-based athletes still gave their first-year instructor a much appreciated second gift, a solid display of determination.
“This is a wonderful group of young men,” Coleman said as she dished out post-contest slices to her ballers. “They’re hardworking, energetic and, based on this little treat, considerate.”
The Wynnefield resident came to Southern after the School District of Philadelphia folded her program at Horace Furness High School, 1900 S. Third St., where she oversaw 10 junior varsity and three varsity units, and still serves as the girls’ volleyball coach and works as the dean of students. A district agreement allows the Pennsport site’s enrollees to play for Southern, which, coming off a 4-16 season, needed as many consistent contributors as it could find. Along with the transfer of Wise from Upper Darby High School, the combination has proven profitable, as the hosts entered last week’s affair with an 11-6 record, including a 6-3 mark against divisional foes.
“I want constant movement and tenacity,” Coleman said to her senior-heavy bunch, which is seeking Southern’s first winning campaign in four years. “Keep your focus.”
With eight championships since 1990, Gratz has built a remarkable reputation yet slumped to a 3-15 record last year and entered the duel with seven losses in its previous eight games. That streak mattered little in the first quarter as an 11-0 sprint erased an early deficit and had the Rams wisely feeding Wise for interior scores. The resident of the 2200 block of Hemberger Street tallied 10 points, including two buckets that showed off his 6-foot-4 frame’s flexibility. With her charges down 17-16 after the first eight minutes, Coleman, though realizing Wise had the hot hand, hoped other roster members would provide offensive variety.
Senior forward Wayne Brunson, who in the fall rushed for 1,207 yards, proved his talent extends beyond football fields by leading the Rams with five second-quarter points. With improved defensive stands, notably two blocked shots from Wise, the home team engineered a 33-26 edge at intermission.
Wise, who also suited up for the Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School Warriors, transferred to Southern for family reasons. Coming from Upper Darby, which he said ran a more set style of play as opposed to his current unit’s fancy for run-and-gun schemes, he has enjoyed aiding the Rams’ fast-paced, often jaw-dropping mentality.
“The guys have really embraced me,” the big man, whose effort pushed his scoring average in divisional games to 15.2, said. “I want to repay them by helping us to city and state championship appearances.”
Gratz began the second half by letting Wise’s band know it will need to show more discipline if it wants to be a postseason noisemaker, as the visitors made second attempts and deadly perimeter shooting force Coleman and assistant coach George Anderson to rant about maintaining aggressive defensive attitudes. Numerous foul calls had their players crying foul and seemed to stymie their energy, which they used more to complain than to compete.
“Let our play do the talking,” assistant coach Arthur Russell said of the loose whistles.
Brunson responded to the instruction with seven points, and Wise added three, but the guests decided to be impolite and barked their way to a 47-45 advantage as the final quarter commenced.
“Defense will get you back in it,” Anderson, the Rams’ former head helper, said.
Wise listened intently and used his athleticism to pressure shooters and run back for dishes from senior Robert Leonard, who, in addition to handing out six assists, entered Southern’s annals Dec. 28 when his waning-seconds layup gave Southern the title in the Black Knights Tournament against Landisville’s Hempfield High School. Nearly a foot shorter than his lauded teammate, the point guard revealed he has as much heart, as he tried to will the Rams to victory. Not a huge scorer, Leonard stroked a key three-pointer, and Wise added eight points, but wayward heaves by the latter and Brunson in the final moments resulted in dejected looks and consoling handshakes from the Bulldogs.
“We beat ourselves with turnovers,” Wise, still pondering where he will take his talent upon graduation, said of 16 miscues. “We’ll clean up our game going forward, though.”
Though her youngsters could not come through, Coleman enjoyed the effort and capped her special occasion by dining with her family. She hopes her Rams will batter the Franklin Learning Center Bobcats today in the regular-season finale.
“I have the greatest coaching staff any woman or man could ask for and players who care,” she said. “We’ll be ready for anyone.”
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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