McDonald's Double-Double Powers Green Wave to the Top of the Shoreline

The Green Wave rode a monster night on the glass to keep their grip on first place, but it was the red-hot Huskies — winners of four straight — breathing down their necks at East Shoreline Catholic Academy this week.

Around the League

Green Wave 65, Bulldogs 45. If you needed a reminder of why the Green Wave sit atop the standings, Jeremy McDonald delivered it emphatically. His 28-point, 22-rebound double-double was the kind of two-way clinic that decides games before halftime, and he wasn’t alone — Jimmy Giorlamo stuffed the sheet with 18 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block, while Shawn Love added 14 points and swiped four steals of his own. The Bulldogs got a game effort from Khalid Jabarkhail (17 points, three treys) and a stellar 13-rebound, nine-point night from Mason Carey, plus 13 from Blake Walker on four made threes, but they simply couldn’t slow the Wave in a 20-point loss.

Huskies 61, Red Storm 44. Ryan Florentine put on a show, pouring in a league-best 33 points on four made threes while chipping in six rebounds and a little of everything else. Scott Houghton (10 points, two triples) and Mike Rothstein (six points, two triples) provided the supporting fire as the Huskies rolled to their fourth consecutive win. The Red Storm didn’t lack for effort — Jason Erxleben posted a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double, David Orr chipped in 12 and seven boards, and James Holt knocked down three triples for 11 — but the 17-point gap was too much to erase.

Knicks 56, Black Mamba 44. Taylor Houghton was everywhere for the Knicks, finishing with 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and three made threes in a genuine do-it-all performance. Eric Hogarth added 15 points, six boards and a game-high three blocks, while Jeremy Staub pitched in 14 and seven. Black Mamba got a balanced push from Colby Morawski (13 points), and double-digit boards from Samim Jabarkhail (eight points, 10 rebounds), but the Knicks’ depth carried them to a 12-point win.

The Standings

Green Wave hold serve at No. 1 despite their loss last time out — this week’s win keeps them a nose ahead on point differential (+48) over a surging Huskies squad that leapfrogged Red Storm into second on the strength of a four-game heater. Red Storm slipped a spot to third after their loss to the Huskies, but remain right in the thick of it at 4-3. The Knicks (4-3) held steady at fourth and pulled their differential to a nearly even -1. Black Mamba and the Bulldogs round out the table; the Bulldogs, sadly, are riding a six-game skid, though their 316 points scored show the offense isn’t the problem.

Movers & Shakers

Bucket of the Week. Ryan Florentine takes the scoring crown with a sizzling 33 points, four of them from deep, in the Huskies’ win.

The Big Fella. Jeremy McDonald was the story of the week — 28 points and a whopping 22 rebounds led the league on the glass and headlined the week’s double-doubles. Nobody else came close on the boards.

The Distributor & The Pickpocket. Green Wave dominated the hustle categories, too: Jimmy Giorlamo paced everyone with five assists, while teammate Shawn Love led all comers with four steals.

Rim Protector. Eric Hogarth swatted a league-best three blocks in the Knicks’ win over Black Mamba.

Double-Double Club. Two names on the list this week: McDonald (28 & 22) and Red Storm’s Jason Erxleben, who fought hard for 17 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort.

Also worth a shout: Taylor Houghton’s near-everything line (21/8/3 with three steals) and Khalid Jabarkhail’s 17 for the Bulldogs. See you on the hardwood next week.