The Roberto Clemente Community Academy Boys Basketball team has reached the mid-point in their successful season. The boys have already reached double digit wins and have gotten notable press while doing it. In their conference season, the Wildcats are 3-2, making them second in conference. If the team can stay in second place, they will make the Chicago Public League Playoffs. This is a feat that hasn’t been accomplished at Clemente in over ten years.
In the past week, the boys have had two tough losses to some of the better teams in the White-West Conference. They came back from a nineteen point deficit against Perspectives MSA to a one-point game. Unfortunately, the Wildcats ended up losing the game in the fourth quarter by four points. On Friday night, the boys battled the number one team in the conference, Collins, in close game before Collins pulled away at the end.
So far in the season, the Wildcats have over four guys averaging ten points a game. Junior Teshawn Stokes leads the team with 16 points per game, while Joe Rhymes is second with 15 points per game. Senior Richard Labon is leading the team with 8 rebounds a game. Richard also leads the team in 4 assists per game. Finally, Senior Jamaul Perdue leads the team in 3 point shooting percentage. He is one of the best shooters statistically on the West Side of Chicago. These four student athletes have allowed Clemente to be one of the stronger teams in Clemente history.
Moving forward, Clemente will play at Al Raby on Wednesday and at Manley on Friday. The Wildcats have already defeated both these teams this year, and are looking forward to making it a sweep. The Wildcats will then return to home to play Urban Prep West and Perspectives MSA the following week. The Wildcats are looking to finish the season strong and hopefully end the season with one of the best records in school history.