City of Basketball Love

By Dan Arkans (@danarkans)
––

NORRISTOWN — The Constitution boys basketball team is a tight-knit group led by four seniors, which doesn’t have plans on losing any time soon.

The chemistry of those seniors was put to the test on Saturday in a PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal showdown with Lancaster Mennonite.

The Generals got some devastating news 15 minutes before arriving at Norristown High School for the state quarterfinal contest with the Blazers. Senior forward Amir Speights received word that one of his best friends had died in a car accident.

Constitution though banded together and didn’t have an emotional letdown in a 69-38 thumping of Lancaster Mennonite. 

The Generals (25-6) advance to the state semifinals on Tuesday against Holy Cross, which beat Dock Mennonite in another quarterfinal Saturday.

Constitution's Amir Speights (5) was playing through a lot of emotions on Saturday. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

“It was the dead balls when I was sitting there thinking. It hit me a little bit,” Speights said. “It was a pretty hard game to play, probably the hardest thing I had to do in a long time, play through something like that. At the end of the day I still want to win even though I lost him. I will be alright.”

Constitution is led by starting seniors Speights, Perry Fields, Kyree Latimer and Kory Jones. Those brothers bonded together for 64 of the 69 points the Generals scored on the day against the Blazers. 

Speights led the way with 21 points, five rebounds and two steals, while Latimer added 18 points and six boards. Fields finished with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks.

Their on-court chemistry was clear, the three continually turning good looks for themselves into better ones for their teammates. Even more important was what happened when the ball wasn’t bouncing.

“We just had to let him know, you are our brother,” said Latimer of Speights. “Everybody got you. You don’t have to carry the load yourself, your problems are our problems and vice versa.”

Speights, who was clearly playing with an extra boost all game long, really settled in during the second half. The senior wingman finished with 15 of his game-high 21 points during the final 16 minutes, nine in the fourth quarter to help his team finish strong.

“I told him this is his family, too,” Constitution coach Rob Moore said. “We are here to support him. We would have been OK with the decision either way [if he had chosen not to play]. I told his dad this probably takes his mind off of it. Now, he’s gotta go home and deal with it. This family will be there for him, too.”

While this seemed like a perfect time for a letdown from the Generals after an emotional win over Mahanoy in the second round, a measure of revenge from last year’s loss to the same opponent in the same round, there was one more player a little more up for this one. 

Senior Kyree Latimer was trying to reach the 1,000 point barrier despite entering his junior year with 18 points. Latimer suffered through the COVID year and then transferred from Bonner-Prendergast with minimal varsity experience.

“Being able to do something in two years that it took most players four years means a lot to me,” Latimer said. “I always tell Coach Rob I appreciate him taking a chance on me, giving me an opportunity to play. From the first time he saw me it’s been all love ever since.”

Latimer began the game with a bucket midway through the first quarter and really never let up. The senior guard had 11 points at the half, including a pull-up basket before the halftime buzzer, which saw Constitution up 34-19.

Latimer wasn’t about to waste much time in the third quarter, scoring his second bucket with 3:11 to go in the third quarter on a nifty move that both delivered his 1,000th point and gave Constitution a 44-25 knockout advantage.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Latimer said. “I was thinking all year, maybe I get it, maybe I don’t. Once it started getting closer I knew I was going to get it for sure.”

“I knew 14 points would come in the flow of the game,” Moore said. “I am happy about everything and obviously happy about the result. It’s a testament to him and the work he put in. Even the growth from 11th to 12th grade has been exceptional. He has at least one more game, he will score 1,000 in two years. I am happy for him and happy for the team.”

While the Generals got rid of some demons against Mahanoy and overcame a possible letdown game against Lancaster Mennonite, the goal was not complete yet. Waiting Tuesday is a capable Holy Cross team before Hershey and a potential state championship game awaits.

“It’s the third round of states, we knew it was going to be a game,” Speights said. “They weren’t going to just roll over. We were preaching it all week, if we played our brand of basketball we should be good. We just have to take it one game at a time and hopefully come out with a Hershey bar.”

“This is my first time in states actually winning,” said Fields, who was at Boys’ Latin previously. “I feel like we got a great team to win the state finals. We have a great team this year. It’s a great ride. 

These seniors from Constitution had some lofty goals entering the season; most notably was a Public League championship which was denied by Math, Civics & Sciences in the semifinals. The Generals didn’t let that loss define them, rolling off six consecutive victories. Two more and that Public League loss could almost be forgotten.

“I feel like we have turned it up a notch after the loss to MCS,” Latimer said. “We all rallied around each other. No team is going to lay down for us, we have to let everyone know we have to take it up another notch if we want to win a state title.”

“I think we are right there,” said Moore of a state title. “I think we are definitely right there. The growth of all these guys being seniors … They are all friends. It’s good when you have a group of seniors and hopefully they can go out with a state victory.”

By Quarter
Mennonite:     9   |  10  |   8   |  11  ||  38
Constitution:  16  |  18  |  21  |  14  ||  69

Shooting
Mennonite: 15-52 FG (5-17 3PT), 3-5 FT
Constitution: 30-58 FG (2-16 3PT), 7-10 FT

Scoring
Mennonite: Taylor 13; Hurst 8; Fisher 10; Salem 1; Halverson 6.
Constitution: Amir Speights 21; Fields 16; Latimer 19; Jones 8; Young 5.

~~~

PIAA 2A Boys

Quarterfinals (Sat., March 16)
2-1 Holy Cross 61, 1-1 Dock Mennonite 51
12-1 Constitution 69, 3-1 Lancaster Mennonite 38
7-1 Aliquippa 68, 9-1 Redbank 44
7-3 Fort Cherry 70, 7-6 Jeannette 60

Semifinals (Tue., March 19)
2-1 Holy Cross vs. 12-1 Constitution
7-1 Aliquippa vs. 7-3 Fort Cherry

Championship at Giant Center (Fri., March 22)
TBD, 2 p.m.