Finley Basketball Turns Heads
A basketball team that can dribble, pass, shoot and defend is going to win a lot of games and that’s just what the J. Taylor Finley Middle School eighth grade boys’ squad did, going 9-3. Led by Tyre Brown and Anthony Akines, the Falcons were a legitimate force to be reckoned with all winter long.
Veteran coach Phil Lowe directed a 15 player roster that was loaded with ability. Brown, Atkines and John McCarthy captained the team. Finley had an exceptional starting lineup and a very deep bench.
In addition to Brown (averaged 16 points per game) and Atkines (12.4 ppg), who alternated between guard positions, McCarthy, Jack Forster, Dan Plant, Javon Robinson, Jack Cutrone and Mike Rasco stood out among some very good players.
“This was probably one of the most mentally and physically tough teams I’ve coached,” Lowe said. “The boys never backed down to an opponent and left everything on the floor every game.”
Lowe said that Brown is a “tough competitor, with quick hands and feet. He penetrates and can shoot consistently from 10 to 12 feet and can both create and change the tempo of the game. He’s also very good on defense.”
The coach said that Atkines is a “very good outside shooter from 10 to 15 feet, a good passer and a very good defender with quick hands and feet.” McCarthy can “finish off a dribble” and is tough on defense, too, Lowe said.
Forster provided the Falcons with a consistently effective inside presence. “He’s a very tough defender and can score from either block,” Lowe said. “He’s a tough rebounder and very competitive, too.” Plant is another stubborn defender and fearless rebounder who had no trouble scoring from a variety of locations. “He doesn’t back down,” the coach said.
Robinson (“can score inside, good passer and rebounder”), Cutrone (“very quick feet and hands, very good defender, good penetration, strong left and right hand dribble”) and Rasco (“good outside shot, passes well, can finish plays in transition in traffic”) also played key roles in Finley winning nine games, said Lowe. The team as a whole came together nicely.
“They played as a unit,” Lowe said. “Tough defense, crashed the boards, passed to each other. Everyone played a team role. We were never intimidated by any opponent and were always ready to reach inside when the situation called for it.”
Can Finley duplicate this performance again next season? In a word, yes. Lowe said there’s “a lot of talent in the seventh grade coming up.” He views the group as “very competitive” and “with conditioning and skill development we should be good next year.”
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