Konadu Leads Fourth-Quarter Comeback

The Mount Vernon Majors continued their quest to a third consecutive National District title with a 55-51 win over the Yorktown Patriots. Senior Jesse Konadu, fresh off being named District Player of the Year, led the Majors with 24 points, and Dion Harris added 17 off the bench.

The Majors headed into the final quarter down seven points, but fought back to take a late lead, and hung on to win. The duo of Konadu and Harris combined for 20 of their 21 fourth-quarter points.

The game did not start out well for the Majors, as Yorktown hit a pair of threes and took early control. Michael Lewis responded with a three of his own, and Konadu began to establish himself offensively. With time winding down in the opening period, he hit a floater in the lane, despite the foul, and finished the 3-point play to give the Majors their first lead of the game.

The Patriots would respond with an offensive onslaught in the second, but Harris seemed to match them shot for shot, scoring nine quick points. Konadu, who wasn’t able to get many open looks, began attacking the basket, and was rewarded with six free throws, five of which he made. However, Yorktown’s streaky shooting enabled the Patritots to capture the 29-25 halftime lead.

“Dion was amazing tonight, it was his best performance of the year,” Mount Vernon coach Alfonso Smith said of his senior transfer. “He came in as the new kid, and now he’s peaking for us at the right time.”

In the third quarter, Konadu, nursing a sprained thumb, did not look like the same player. He went 0-for-3 from the field, 0-for-2 from the line, and looked to be in pain. As Konadu struggled, so did the Mount Vernon offense. The Majors had only scored five points all quarter before Shaye Michael Murrell came in a scored four of his own to keep the Majors in the contest. As a result of Murrell’s contribution and solid team defense, the Majors were able to survive the quarter and go into the fourth down only seven.

“Shaye Michael Murrell gave us some really big minutes tonight,” Smith said. “He only played a few, but they were huge for us.”

The Majors started the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run, and Konadu would prove again why he is the district’s best. After undoing his wrist wrap and throwing it to the floor in disgust, the 5-foot-11 senior went back onto the floor and scored 12 points in the final period. He was also able to attract multiple defenders and kick it out to Harris, who knocked down a pair of triples. Konadu then nailed a crucial 3-pointer to extend the Major lead to four with less than two minutes remaining.

“He just gutted it out,” Smith reflected. “He’s playing hurt, but he plays with all his heart, and tonight he did not want to be denied.“

Still, Yorktown was not finished. After cutting the lead to two with nine seconds left, Mount Vernon went to the line with a chance to ice the game. The free throw was missed and rebounded by Yorktown, but Harris stripped the ball and laid it in to seal the deal.

The Majors will face now face top-seeded Edison, who crushed Falls Church 83-50, for a chance to three-peat as National District champions. That game, which will be hosted at Washington-Lee high school, will be played on Friday night at 8 p.m.