Publication: The News Journal

THEY WERE THE FIRST OVERTIME CHAMPIONS

By JACK IRELAND
The News Journal

In the first eight games of the 1995-96 season, Howard High didn't look  like a
state championship-caliber basketball team.

Howard, a preseason No. 2 pick in The News Journal's Top 10, lost five  games by
early January, including two at the Slam Dunk to the Beach  Tournament in Lewes.

However, two months later, this wasn't the same team. Led by 6-foot-5  senior
DeCoursey Jamison, the Wildcats rallied to beat top-ranked Cape  Henlopen 67-63
in the first overtime boys final. Howard finished 20-6, winning  17 of its last
18 games.

As the 40th boys tournament opens tonight with eight first-round games,  Paul
Brown remembers a team that captured the Flight B crown, the Blue  Hen
Conference title and had big tournament wins over Dover and St.  Mark's to reach
the final.

"We went down to the Slam Dunk with a superstar [Jamison] and high  expectations
for the season," said Brown, who guided Howard to three  Final Fours (1996, '97,
2001) during his nine years as coach. "We had a  rough start. We had a team
meeting in a cold gym that night when we got  back. The guys made a recommitment
to play harder as a team. I  challenged them to become a team and not to do what
you want as individuals."

Jamison, who had 1,069 points and 546 rebounds in just two seasons,  turned in
one of the all-time best state final efforts with 31 points  and 23 rebounds
against Cape. Jamison went on to play two years of  junior college basketball
and two years as a starter at Lynn University  in Boca Raton, Fla., an NCAA
Division II team.

"I think we owe it all to the coaching staff," said Jamison, who  averaged 22
points and 11 rebounds that year. "Coach and his staff  prepared us and groomed
us in every way possible for the playoffs. We  knew we had something special,
and to accomplish our goals, we had to stay focused as one."

Brown's assistant coaches were Darrin Kellam and Mark Sills.

In the final against Cape, starters Nate Allen, Clarence Williams and  point
guard Demetrius White fouled out in regulation. Senior forward  Terron Mason was
the fifth starter.

"DeCoursey was awesome and wanted to carry the team on his back," Brown  said.
"He also was able to look for other guys who could feed to the  open player and
also penetrate to the basket. Everyone knew their roles."

Julius Inge, Steve Henderson, Vandrick Hamlin and James Smith stepped  up to
help Jamison rally the Wildcats past a battered and outmanned  Cape team in
overtime.

"In practice, it was never starters against reserves," said Jamison,  now a
businessman and youth counselor in Boca Raton. "Coach split the  teams up and we
were one unit. When we got in a game of that caliber  [against Cape], I never
felt we were a lesser team. I was never worried  at all, because we were
prepared for it.

"The coaches not only groomed us for the games, but [told us] what to  say and
not to say around the media. We became smart on and off the court."

Senior Lamont Hazzard was brilliant for Cape with 30 points, 23 in the  second
half. He scored all 13 of Cape's third-quarter points. Cape just  missed winning
the game in regulation. Forward Cory Clouser was fouled  with one second left,
but he made only one of three foul shots, tying the game.

"I remember two starting guards fouling out and Bobby Leggins getting hurt,"
said Cape Henlopen coach Jerry Peden Sr., who retired in 2002 after 30  years of
coaching in Delaware. "Bobby, with his head bandaged up, moved  in and played
point guard. Jamison, he was a tremendous player,  dominating. Despite the loss,
I have fond memories of that game and of the season."

Allen, an ex-Marine from Claymont, said the players fed off Jamison's 
confidence.

"Every player put egos aside, and it became a fun thing," Allen said.  "We knew
DeCoursey was our go-to person, and he instilled confidence in  us. We pushed
him as much as he pushed us. When Demetrius, Clarence and  I fouled out, it came
back to the team thing. That night, we knew we  were a good, complete basketball
team. ... It was a team thing."

Contact jack ireland at 324-2808 or jireland@delawareonline.com.

TODAY'S FIRST ROUND

ALL GAMES, 6 P.M. 

(17) Christiana vs. 
(16) Howard at Dickinson

(24) Indian River
at (9) Caesar Rodney

(20) Woodbridge
at (13) William Penn

(21) Newark
at (12) Salesianum

(18) Polytech
at (15) Brandywine

(23) Red Lion Christian
at (10) Delcastle

(19) A.I. du Pont
at (14) Sussex Tech

(22) Smyrna vs. (11) Delmarva Christian at Milford