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Gwynn Park caps long day with win over Largo
Gwynn Park caps long day with win
Day full of basketball ends with Yellow Jackets winning summer league game vs. Largo
The day started with a 6:45 a.m. meeting at the high school prior to the start of the Gwynn Park Basketball Camp, where the Yellow Jackets' players served as instructors. The camp started at 8 a.m. and didn't finish until 4 p.m. The players and coaches rushed from the camp to Riverdale Baptist High School for their Falconers League game at 6 p.m. against Largo.
Some of the players and coaches were late for the game, and when they arrived they still had their nametags on from the first day of camp. But the Yellow Jackets settled down and defeated Largo, 49-42, to remain undefeated in the summer league.
Senior guard Daniel Henry said his day started at 5:45 a.m. since he had a 25-minute drive from his home in Accokeek to Gwynn Park High in Brandywine.
"I just downed a couple of Gatorades because I knew we had to come out here and play," he said after the game against Largo. "I am going straight to bed when I get home. I got to get ready to do it all again tomorrow because we got to get ready for Laurel."
The Yellow Jackets will have another long day ahead of them Tuesday, as they will help teach at the camp at 8 a.m. and will come back to Riverdale Baptist to play against Laurel at 6 p.m.
Varsity assistant coach Jarrett Thompson, who is coaching the Gwynn Park summer team, said the long day shows the dedication the players have for the program and the game of basketball.
"These guys are playing mostly off adrenaline right now because I know they are tired," said Thompson, who still had his camp nametag on his shirt after the game. "They are committed to winning and being the best. I am sure it helped a little bit that we played Largo today."
Monday night's game featured two of the three remaining undefeated teams in the Falconer's League as Gwynn Park entered with a 5-0 record, while Largo was 4-0. Riverdale Baptist, who has won the league title four consecutive years, is the other undefeated team with a 4-0 record.
The game featured the type of intensity that is normally on display in the County 3A/2A/1A League game in February. But Gwynn Park was able to wear down a shorthanded Largo team that played the game with only five players. Three of those players were varsity starters Brandon Bailey, Derrick Colter and Will Johnson.
But Thompson said it didn't matter who Gwynn Park was playing. He said the Yellow Jackets are trying to beat everyone and win everything, including the championship of the Falconers League.
"We are very competitive and take every game serious," Thompson said. "These guys have been through so much that they want to win everything. We are committed to getting back to states and winning a state championship."
E-mail Joshua Hudson at jhudson@gazette.net.