City of Basketball Love

David Gough (@DG0UGH)
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(Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2016-17 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed so far can be found here.)

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The Constitution High School basketball program is entering just its eighth season in its short history. Head coach Robert Moore is looking for what would already be the school’s fourth state title.

Getting that fourth ring would be a great way to take the sting out of last season’s heartbreaking finish. The Generals came back from a 25-point deficit in the fourth quarter before losing to Math Civics and Sciences in overtime on a last second 3-pointer in the Class A state semifinals.

“I do think I have a state championship-caliber team this year. I just need to get the guys to buy in to what I’m trying to get them to do,” Moore said. “We’re really deep. They just need to play selfless.”

The lack of depth and experience last season is what ultimately led to rough patches during the season. The 2014-15 team, which captured the school’s third championship, had five seniors on it, led by Minnesota sophomore Ahmad “J.R.” Gilbert and FIU guard Kimar Williams.

The chemistry that Moore saw between that group wasn’t there anymore last year, which made for a lot of learning experiences in 2016, and it showed at times.

Constitution went 18-12 and Moore believes they lost a few games that they should have won. The Generals still managed to have long runs in the postseason. Not only did they make the state semi-finals, but they reached the Public League Championship before falling to Delaware Valley Charter.

This season, they’re led by two of what Moore calls “Division I caliber” seniors, Tamir Green and Maurice Waters. Both had busy offseasons playing in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League.

Waters, who spent time with the New Jersey Playaz of the EYBL, averaged a double-double in his junior year at Constitution. To go along with just over 14 points per game, the 6-foot-6 forward led the Generals in rebounding with 10.5 boards per game. The one thing Moore hopes Waters improves on is his shooting.

It was Green who was the Generals’ go-to scorer in 2016 averaging 19 points per game. The 5-foot-8 point guard credits that to his speed.

“I feel like I’m the fastest player in the Public League and nobody can stay in front of me,” Green said. “Only I can guard myself when I make bad decisions.”

His speed was rewarded as he reached the state championship in cross country last year.

Green, also a member of the EYBL’s Team Final, finds a variety of ways to put the ball in the basket. He has the ability to shoot a jumper whether it’s from beyond the 3-point arc or within it. The combination of his quickness and ball-handling skill, though, allows him to be able to drive to the basket almost at will.

With fewer turnovers, Moore said Green will really be able to elevate his game in 2016-17.

Aside from more leadership and experience, the Generals will have more depth this upcoming season, too. Moore is particularly excited about freshman Keshaun “Champ” Hammonds.

“We lack a real true point guard and that’s really [Hammonds’] position. He’s going to play a lot,” Moore said. “The older guys have a lot of faith in his ability. You don’t see that a lot with freshmen coming in.”

The 14-year-old guard can handle the ball well and shoot. He doesn’t seem phased by the older competition that he’s about to face.

“I worked a lot over the summer. I can play at this level. I think I can help us go far this year,” Hammonds said.

Juniors Hakim Hudson and Leeron Wills-Worthy will provide a boost as well. The two of them were missing at the end of last year because of injuries.

Hudson, a 6-foot guard, hasn’t played since last December. Wills-Worthy, a 6-foot-5 forward, missed the entire state tournament due to a car accident.He only averaged just over a point and two rebounds off the bench when he was healthy, but he can have a big presence on the court in an increased role this year.

“Leeron has all the intangibles, everything you’d want in a big man, in a player. We missed his size and his physicality in the state tournament,” Moore said.

Moore has high expectations for his program this year. He sees no reason why they shouldn’t win that fourth state title nor the Public League.

“We’ve made five trips to the Public League Championship in the last six years,” Moore said. “It’s a really good league. Imhotep is always really good. King, Del Val, and Math Civics and Science picked up kids and they’ll be good I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

In those five trips, Constitution’s only title came in 2012. Imhotep has won two of the last four, in 2013 and 2015; Del-Val Charter are the defending league champs but have to replace both a coach and a key senior class.

Constitution will get an idea of where they are at after the first two games of the season. Archbishop Ryan and Neumann-Goretti face the Generals on back-to-back nights in December.

Moore thinks this season will be an enjoyable one. With more experience and depth on this year’s team, it might just be for the Constitution head coach.

“I just want the kids have fun when they’re on the court and cheer for their teammates when they’re not,” he said. “I’m excited to see what they can do.”