Jelani Easter’s late goal lifts Central Dauphin to first state title victory
Central Dauphin’s Historic Victory Over Imhotep
In a thrilling showdown at the Giant Center in Hershey, Central Dauphin made history by claiming their first-ever state title in program history. Facing off against the highly touted Imhotep team, the Rams proved they were more than capable of matching the Panthers’ intensity and skill.
The Stars of the Game
Shakur Starling was the standout performer for Central Dauphin, leading the charge with an impressive 24 points, two assists, and two steals. His brother, Shyheim Starling, contributed nine points, while Jelani Easter added 10 points and four rebounds to the mix. On the other side, Imhotep’s Latief Lorenzano-White led with 14 points, followed by Daouda Niare with 12 and Zaahir Muhammad-Gray with 10.
How It Happened
Central Dauphin started strong, showing they were not just there to participate but to compete. After falling behind early, the Rams stayed resilient, keeping the game close throughout. A 3-pointer by Muhammad-Gray gave Imhotep a 14-12 lead after the first quarter, but Central Dauphin remained composed.
The second quarter saw both teams trading baskets, with Shakur Starling hitting a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to send the game into halftime tied at 23-23. The third quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with Starling opening the period with a layup to give the Rams an early edge. However, Imhotep’s Muhammad-Gray picked up his fourth foul, forcing him to sit out for part of the quarter.
After trailing 33-32, Shakur and Shyheim Starling went on a six-point run to take a 38-33 lead heading into the final minute of the third. But Lorenzano-White responded with five points in 15 seconds, cutting the lead to just 40-38 going into the fourth quarter.
Central Dauphin continued to fight hard, using second-chance buckets to maintain their lead. With the Rams up 49-47, Lorenzano-White hit two free throws to tie the game at 49-49 with 2:01 remaining. Coach Seth Leonard called a timeout, instructing his team to hold for the last shot.
Easter got his chance, driving through contact and scoring while drawing a foul with 13.2 seconds left. He converted the free throw to put the Rams ahead 52-49. Central Dauphin then forced a missed 3-pointer from Muhammad-Gray and secured the rebound with seconds remaining, sealing the victory.
Reactions from the Team
Jelani Easter expressed his disbelief at the historic win, saying, “It’s crazy. Especially coming out of Central Dauphin where they said, ‘They’re not going to make it,’ or ‘They’re not going to make it out of this side of the bracket.’ To go all the way and win it for the first time in school history with as special a group of guys like this, it’s amazing.”
Coach Seth Leonard shared his confidence in his team’s ability to handle Imhotep, stating, “We share with everyone we talked to: we think that we match up better than anyone else. But that was a factor that we had to beat: the talk of who Imhotep is. They’re an amazing program coached by an amazing coach. Who wouldn’t want to imitate some of that success? But we talked about who we were, and we proved it.”
Shakur Starling also reflected on the win, saying, “You know, they’re good Philly team. We knew we were going to be in a dog fight and tough it out. The fact that we stuck in, kept our heads high, kept pushing and matched the physicality, shout out to our team.”
Final Score
Imhotep 14-9-15-11 – 49
Central Dauphin 12-11-17-12 – 52
Player Statistics
PANTHERS (49)
– Ian Smith: 1-6 0-1 2
– Kevin Benson: 2-3 2-2 7
– Zaahir Muhammad-Gray: 4-6 1-1 10
– Daouda Niare: 4-6 3-4 12
– Latief Lorenzano-White: 5-9 3-3 14
– Sean Banks: 0-0 0-0 0
– Rocky Johnson: 1-1 0-0 2
– Malik Brown: 1-1 0-0 2
3-point goals:
– Benson 1-2, Muhammad-Gray 1-2, Niare 1-1, Lorenzano-White 1-3
Totals: 18-32 9-11 49
RAMS (52)
– Jelani Easter: 4-6 2-7 10
– Kahlil Roberts: 3-8 1-2 7
– Shakur Starling: 10-18 2-4 24
– Shyheim Starling: 4-6 1-1 9
– Jared Dolimpio: 1-8 0-1 2
– Johnny Shiery: 0-0 0-0 0
– Kameron Devan: 0-0 0-0 0
– Jaxson Davenport: 0-0 0-0 0
3-point goals:
– Roberts 0-4, Sha.Starling 2-8, Shy.Starling 0-1, Dolimpio 0-6
Totals: 22-46 6-15 52
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