GAME FILM: Olympia boys basketball tops DP for first time since 2009

Sports

DR. PHILLIPS The Olympia boys basketball team did something Tuesday night that it had not done in six years, 10 months and 24 days — it beat Dr. Phillips.

The two teams play one another at least once a year, but the Panthers have got the better of the Titans in the rivalry dating back to the 2008-2009 season, when Olympia defeated Dr. Phillips 57-53 on Feb. 4, 2009, in the regional playoffs — the same year the Titans advanced all the way to the state final and finished as state runner-up.

Given that context, it's understandable why — even though Olympia led by 15 points with around three minutes to play — head coach Matt Wheeler continued to stay on his young team as it closed in on a big 81-69 win.

"I was yelling at them every possession 'it's not over,'" Wheeler said. "(Dr. Phillips is) a very good team. ... This is a big win to prove to ourselves that we can play with anybody and play with the good teams."

Teammates Ronaldo Segu, left, and Mykarri Hodges were all smiles in the closing moments of Olympia's upset victory against Dr. Phillips Jan. 19.

The Titans outscored the Panthers 48-30 in the second half after trailing 39-33 at halftime.

"We talked about our ball movement (at halftime) — I thought the ball was sticking a lot in the first half," Wheeler said. "We've got a lot of fast guards so we just wanted to keep the ball moving."

Olympia's talented sophomore class led the way with dynamic guard Ronaldo Segu tallying a game-high 27 points to pair with forward DeJuan Lockett's 24 points. Two other Titans scored in double-figures, with Mykarri Hodges accumulating 13 points and Ajay Green ending the night with 11 points.

It was the sizzling perimeter shooting of Segu, though, that powered the momentum shift in favor of Olympia.

"He's tough (to guard)," Wheeler said. "He can score, he wants the ball in his hands and he wants to play in big games."

Dr. Phillips, which had been coming off an impressive pair of wins over Oak Ridge and Melbourne last week — two of the best teams in the state — fell to 16-4 on the year. Senior forward Justin Tucker led the Panthers with 23 points and 17 rebounds.

Olympia improved to 11-11 with the win, highlighting a season of inconsistency. The Titans had defeated Class 3A-heavyweight The First Academy in late November but struggled in December. In January, though, Olympia is 5-1 entering a home contest Jan. 26 against another rival: West Orange.

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].