KIPP Capital, in its 1st year, scores Section 2 boys' basketball championship
· Yahoo Sports
GLENS FALLS - DJ Jones and Indavier Barnes are back on top in Section 2 - just with a different school's name across the chest of their team's jerseys.
In the first year of the Albany-based KIPP Capital Charter School's existence, the top-seeded Trailblazers defeated No. 2 Catskill 75-56 to win the Section 2 Class B championship on Saturday at Glens Falls' Harding Mazzotti Arena.
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Following a tenure that included multiple area championships and a state title with Green Tech, Jones began a new chapter this year coaching at KIPP. He was joined at KIPP by a handful of players he coached across town.
"A lot of these guys have been with me since eighth grade," Jones said. "They wanted this, to come to a new school, and there was a lot of noise in the section of people who weren't happy that the kids followed me. But we built those relationships, so that's what happened, and we [continued to] work."
Barnes, who was one of the players to make the move to KIPP with Jones, scored 38 points to lead the Trailblazers on Saturday. He went 14-for-19 from the field and made seven 3-pointers, while collecting eight rebounds and five assists.
"I was just out there playing, trying to get the win," said Barnes, the Class B tournament MVP. "I wasn't worried about points or anything."
"Not surprised at all. ‘Davi' does what he does, and he's been doing it for four years," Jones said of Barnes. "He actually had a rough week. He rolled his ankle on Monday against Tamarac; he had to spend the last few days recovering, which paid off."
"This guy is incredible," KIPP's Ayden Taylor added of Barnes. "I've grown up playing basketball with him, and we've always had that connection and trust."
Taylor, who also transferred to KIPP with his longtime coach, contributed 11 points and eight rebounds in the win.
"It feels amazing to make history like this, the first year of the school," Taylor said. "We knew we just had to stay together, and we'd keep going up."
Tyler Hemingway, Jakai Arrington and Nasier Ellis tacked on eight points apiece.
Throughout the first quarter, KIPP outrebounded Catskill and beat the Cats to loose balls, allowing the Trailblazers to get out to an early lead, which included an 11-2 run to end the period.
Catskill found its footing to keep the game within reach during the second and third quarters.
However, Barnes came alive in the second half, as he scored 25 of his 38 points between the third and fourth quarters.
"I feel like we played great together," Barnes said. "We've been playing with each other for quite some time now and we know how to lock in and get the job done."
Prior to the start of the season, KIPP was placed by Section 2 to compete in Class C. However, Jones elected to bump his team up to Class B.
It's a move that has paid off so far.
"We always play with a chip on our shoulder," Taylor said. "A lot of people doubted us, but we're not done yet."
KIPP (14-4 overall) moves on to the NYSPHSAA regional championship round of the state playoffs next Saturday at Hudson Valley Community College, when it will face Section 7's Saranac Lake (20-3) at 2 p.m.
Barnes and Taylor, along with teammate Juelz McLean, played for Jones as sophomores on Green Tech's run to the 2024 NYSPHSAA Class AAA championship.
Catskill finished its season with a record of 18-6, and was led by 15 points from Chance Harris, 13 points from Tristian Hendy and 11 from Kobe Neilsen.
This article originally published at KIPP Capital, in its 1st year, scores Section 2 boys' basketball championship.