The 19th Street Basketball Showdown

Story by Yahdir Smith. Picture by Yahdir Smith

JAN. 15, 2020: On December 4, 2019, 19th Street’s FPCS Blow Pierce’s girls and boys basketball teams welcomed 19th Street’s Monument Public Charter School boys and girls basketball teams into our school’s gym for a basketball tournament like no other. With both school’s being located on 19th Street, “The Showdown” was created to heighten the hype around winning this game for both schools.

The crowd was loud, the gym was full, the anxiety was high, and both teams were ready! During the first game for the girls’ basketball team  Sharon Baltimore made history in this season’s stat books. Baltimore scored 26 of the 30 points scored for the FPCS Blow Pierce’s Lady Knights. This high scoring game for Baltimore led her team to a 30-0 victory over Monument Public Charter School. This was not only a dominating victory, but the Lady Knights’ first win of the season.

The boys’ basketball game was a little more intense—the gym seemed to get warmer and warmer as the basketball was dribbled from one end of the court to the next. Monument took the lead during the first, second and third quarters, but the Jr. Knights’ fan base kept the faith. In the fourth quarter, Nasir Dozier tied the game with a 3-point shot that eventually led the teams into overtime.

Although Blow Pierce fell short in overtime, the boys played a great game and did not leave without putting up a fight. The final score was 33-35. I guess it is safe to say that Mr. Spears and Dr. Grant both earned bragging rights tonight! Way to go Jr. Knights!

Yahdir Smith is a 5th grade scholar at Friendship Blow Pierce Academy.