Lance Stephenson and the Lincoln Railsplitters took yet another step Saturday toward an unprecedented fourth straight PSAL city championship.
With St. John’s head coach Norm Roberts and Red Storm players Sean Evans and D.J. Kennedy looking on, the 6-foot-5 Stephenson had 28 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as No. 1 Lincoln downed No. 9 Transit Tech 86-80 in the quarterfinals at St. John’s.
“Nobody can stop me down low,” Stephenson, playing at the renovated Carnesecca Arena for the first time, told FiveBorosports.com. “I had fun on the court.”
Maryland-bound power forward James Padgett added 13 points and 12 boards and St. Francis-bound point guard Darwin “Buddha” Ellis added 15 points.
Next up for Lincoln is a semifinal date with Brooklyn rival Boys & Girls next Sunday at 5 o’clock at St. John’s.
No. 4 Boys & Girls downed No. 12 Thomas Edison 63-51. Michael Taylor posted 16 points and nine rebounds and Tyler Young had 14 points, 22 rebounds and seven blocks. Lamount Samuell added 11 assists, nine rebounds and six points and Anton Dickerson talliled 13 points.
In the other semifinal at 3 p.m. at St. John’s, No. 3 Thomas Jefferson of Brooklyn will face No. 2 John F. Kennedy of the Bronx.
Fordham-bound forward Joel “Air Jamaica” Wright had 23 points and 15 rebounds and uncommitted senior guard Keith Spellman tallied 20 points in Jefferson’s 70-59 victory over No. 6 Forest Hills. Maurice Harkless led Forest Hills with 24 points.
Kennedy downed Staten Island McKee Tech 85-81 behind a career-high 38 points from Naquan Pierce. Ross Vizcaino added 12 points and Jeffrey Arzu scored 10.
The finals are set for March 21 at Madison Square Garden, and Stephenson has said he may announce his college choice on that date. He will likely choose from among Kansas, Maryland and St. John’s.
The St. John’s players and coaches made it a point to let them know he is wanted.
“That means a lot to me,” Stephenson told the Daily News. “But I was really focused on the game, trying to win. I’m not focused on college right now, just winning a city championship.”
**Read the full story about the sneaker war over Stephenson here.
**Watch the video interview with Lance here.
(Photo courtesy Pace/Daily News)
