Friday, February 25, 2011

By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer

One thousand point scorers Keith Benthall (11) and Khalid Jones, shown here with Ferris head coach Dave Masciale, finished off their high school careers with a 76-67 win over Hillside and plenty of hope for bright futures.

JERSEY CITY – Keith Benthall and Khalid Jones were supposed to become statistics. Both of the Jersey City residents lived across town from one another and grew up in tough neighborhoods. Their groups of friends were far from close with one another; and either one of them could have been sucked into quitting basketball and dropping out of high school altogether.

But both of them had a head coach that believed that they could not only become better basketball players, but believed with some guidance that Benthall and Jones could grow from boys with little hope into young men with bright futures.

Although their senior seasons were not as successful as Benthall and Jones would have liked, they both reached milestones that any basketball player can look back on with pride. They both recently passed the 1,000-point plateau and both had a major hand in ending their high school careers with a 76-67 victory over Hillside on Thursday afternoon at Ferris High School.

“They have been an integral part of our program the past four years and it’s tough to see them go,” said Ferris head coach Dave Masciale. “Those two guys have really grown up both on and off the court, and it is noticeable with the leadership they have shown this season.”

Hillside came in about as young as a team possibly could be, starting four freshman and one sophomore. However, behind the play of freshman twins Calvin and Ashton Lofton, who scored on consecutive layups, the Hillers raced out to an early 11-point lead.

Ferris Senior Sean Lee pulled down 17 rebounds in his final high school game.

The Bulldogs were not to be denied and it was Benthall who kept their ship afloat in the first half. He hit all four of his shots from the floor, including a pair of three-pointers, as Ferris took back the lead by halftime, 29-27.

“A few years ago or maybe even earlier this season, we would have folded and would have gotten blown out,” said Benthall, who is being recruited by several Division 3 school in the NJAC. “I saw some opportunities and had to look for my shot a little more until we started clicking on offense. Coach (Masciale) always has us prepared on how to handle situations. (Masciale) is a real good, honest man and he cares about us, so we give it everything we’ve got for him. On and off the court, we never give up. We want to make a lasting impression and be looked to as role models for the younger players.”

Jones was held to just one basket in the first half before erupting in a two-minute spurt that allowed Ferris to pad its lead. He scored eight straight points in the midst of a 12-4 run that put the Bulldogs up 10 late in the third quarter. It was all the cushion they needed as they never let the lead dip below six for the rest of the game and finished off the season on a high note.

Benthall led all players with 23 points, six assists, and four steals for Ferris, which finished the season with an 8-17 record. In his final scholastic game, Jones notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Fellow senior Sean Lee was a monster on the boards, snatching a career-high 17 rebounds to go with six points. The Bulldogs finished out the year winning five of their final seven games.

Calvin and Ashton Lofton each finished with 18 points for Hillside. Nick Carre and Al-Jameer Mallary added 15 and 14 points, respectively.

What Benthall and Jones do know is that the final scoreboard read 76-67 and that Ferris had won. But what they do not know is that just by stepping on the court and finishing out four years of varsity basketball, they already won a statistical battle that was far greater than any nine-point victory could ever provide.

They will earn high school diplomas, go on to play college basketball, and, with some more hard work, will earn college degrees that will give them boundless opportunities for the rest of their lives. Just a dream when the two entered Ferris’ rotation as freshmen, being a successful in life story and not just statistic is looking more like a reality every day, whether they step on the court or not.

“It feels so good to end on a good note,” said Ferris’ Khalid Jones. “We went from being wild and immature to being young men. I know for me personally, I want to make something of myself and make my family proud. I’ve still got a long way to go but I feel like I’m moving in the right direction. Basketball will always be in my heart and I want to play in college. But more than anything, I’m more determined to make a better life for myself, because in the end that’s what it’s all about.”

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