City of Basketball Love

Rich Flanagan (@richflanagan33)
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Antwuan Butler and Makhi Morris have seen their roles change immensely from last season.

While both starters a year ago, Butler was not a go-to option as a sophomore and Morris, then a junior, was more of a fourth scorer for a Del-Val Charter which won the Public League and District 12 Class AAA titles.

Playing alongside seniors Waheem and Wade Lowman, Dwayne Coleman, Semaj Motley and Rashae Nixon, Butler and Morris’ primary objective in former coach Jason Harrigan’s offense was to feed those guys the ball and occasionally making a play when called upon.

Transition to Thursday’s game against Martin Luther King where Butler and Morris are the Warriors’ primary ball handlers and offensive initiators under first year head coach James Lewis, who took over after Harrigan went to Cardinal O’Hara.

Butler scored a game-high 20 points and Morris had the assist on Nazir Thomas’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Del-Val’s 53-50 Philadelphia Public League A Division victory over King.

Butler, a 6-0 junior guard, has seen the maturation of he and his senior teammate’s skillset in one year and understands what is expected of them both.

“Last year, my role was to get the ball to everybody else and score when I had to but this year I have to be more aggressive and score the ball while still getting [it to my teammates,]” Butler said. “Makhi and I both have to get buckets.”

Midway through the third quarter, the Warriors had their largest lead of the game at 33-28 but the Cougars went on a 12-0 run to close the quarter, led by sophomore guard Jihad Watson (12 points), a Del-Val transfer. King (7-4, 0-3 Public League) extended their lead to nine early in the fourth after guard Mikey Robinson nailed a triple and Lewis called a timeout.

Lewis, still getting settled in his new coaching position after taking a year off following an eight-year stint at Philadelphia Electric, has looked to Butler and Morris to emulate him on the court as both respective parties progress through this transition.

“I teach all of my kids that they are an extension of me on the court,” Lewis said. “I try to give them leeway on the court to coach themselves. Makhi and Antwuan make my job a little easier. They’re coming into a transition year for them and [also one] for me.”

In the final quarter, the two returning starters took control. Morris scored on a putback then he and Butler hit three out of four free throws on ensuing possessions to tie the game at 44-44. Sean Colson’s Cougars kept fighting back and even had the opportunity to take the lead after junior guard Denelle Holly (12) finished an and-one but missed the ensuing free throw with 10.9 seconds left.

Colson said his team needs players who have the discipline and toughness those Del-Val (7-4, 1-2) leaders displayed throughout that final quarter.

“When you have chemistry and you have guards like Makhi and Antwuan, they make plays, and know when to calm down or go fast,” Colson said. “They’ve got all of that because they have savvy. Del-Val has a lot of toughness and energy.”

Morris nailed two more free throws to give the Warriors a two-point cushion with 2:19 remaining then, after Watson responded with a layup, Butler finished strong in the lane through traffic to push the lead to 50-48. Butler, who helped get Thomas open on the final possession by drawing Watson away from Morris which left the extra pass wide open, hit seven of eight free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter.

Morris scored eight of his 10 points in the second half.