Digital Harbor High and Edmondson’s boys’ basketball teams seemingly missed enough close shots in the first half of their contest Tuesday evening to fill a Christmas stocking for each student in their respective schools. The No. 7 Red Storm finally got some shots to fall in the second half, pulling away for a 83-66 decision over the No. 12 Rams in a Baltimore City league Division I contest on Key Highway.
Kavon Pyatt scored a game-high 28 points for Edmondson (6-0 overall, 1-0 Division I), and senior point guard Rodney Pratcher finished with 16. Antonio Manns led Digital Harbor (3-3, 0-1 Division I) with 21 points, and junior guard DaQuan Cook added 19.
The Red Storm outscored Digital Harbor, 51-33, over the final two quarters to take its debut in arguably the toughest league in the area. Edmondson coach Darnell Dantzler said his team played more relaxed in the second half.
“We just had to settle down and change some things up,” said Dantzler. “We started rebounding and executing better and the shots just started falling.”
After scoring four in the opening half, Rodney Pratcher picked up the pace with 12 second-half points to go with 10 points by Pyatt. Dantzler said Pyatt is vital if the Red Storm hope to defend its city title and make a run at the Class 2A state Final Four.
“If he does what I asked of him, we’ll be in every game,” said Dantzler. “With him and Pee Wee [Rodney Pratcher] we have one of the best backcourts in the city.”
Pyatt scored 18 points in the first half including three three-pointers in the second quarter. He gave Edmondson a 32-28 lead with a three-pointer before Shakie White answered with a trey for Digital Harbor. White came up with a steal, leading to layup by Cook for a 33-32 lead at intermission.
It unraveled for the Rams in the second half as they dropped their third decision to a VSN’s Top 20 squad. Digital Harbor next plays at the IAABO Board 290 Mixer at Northwestern next week against New York’s John F. Kennedy and No. 16 Owings Mills.
Dantzler commended the efforts of Brian Ellison, who provided 10 points and 12 rebounds Tuesday. The Red Storm heads to West Virginia for a holiday tournament next week before returning to city league action.
“I like it that nobody is talking about us,” said Dantzler. “We’re glad to be 1-0 [Division I] heading into the new year. There’s so much parity in the city league. From 1 to 10, every game is going to be a dogfight.”
