Alex DoSouto, a story of hope - Mar 5, 2010 (by Pedro Gomes)
At 18, Alex DoSouto saw his dream shattered when two assailants with semiautomatic weapons opened fire, from a passing car. One round ripped into Alexs leg, marking him as the fourth brother in his family wounded by gunshots - one died of a bullet to the heart - in the ongoing street war among Bostons most violent Cape Verdean factions.
It changed my life, Alex said. I could have been killed. I said, I cant keep living like this [read more]
At 18, Alex DoSouto saw his dream shattered when two assailants with semiautomatic weapons opened fire, from a passing car. One round ripped into Alexs leg, marking him as the fourth brother in his family wounded by gunshots - one died of a bullet to the heart - in the ongoing street war among Bostons most violent Cape Verdean factions. It changed my life, Alex said. I could have been killed. I said, I cant keep living like this. Five months removed from a jail cell, Alex enrolled last fall for his senior year at English High School. He is on pace to graduate in June, and has a chance of landing a college basketball scholarship. The support came from collaboration among the Boston schools, youth-oriented nonprofits, and the new Boston Scholar Athlete program aimed at providing student-athletes, the resources to succeed. However Alexs biggest supporter is his family, including his two ex-convicts - older brothers Milton DoSouto and Mike Fernandes - who bear scars from a 15-year feud among Cape Verdean crews in Roxbury and Dorchester. The brothers have changed their lives around. They have attended nearly all of Alexs basketball games along with another brother, Steve DoSouto. Steve DoSouto runs the Boston Peace Basketball League at the Marshall School. The league which provides a free alternative to the streets for dozens of at-risk youths was funded by Boston Foundations StreetSafe program and Robinsons nonprofit Youth in Crisis Inc., and has support off the Boston Police that sends two officers to provide security. After years of being caught up in the streets off Dorchester and Roxbury, Alex decided to put a stop to it. I didnt want to become another hole in my mothers heart, he wrote in his college essay. He also wrote that he recognized the poor choices I had made, how far they had taken me from my childhood dream, and how I was responsible for being so far away from all that I was capable of.
Alex has proven vital to English High team, emerging as one of the citys top point guards. Beyond his great court vision, passing ability, and leadership as a team captain, the 6-footer has given the undersize English roster a boost in scoring, logging 30 points against New Bedford, and 20 or more in several other games. English High is 13-7 (10-4 in the Boston City League) and bound for the state tournament. Several colleges, including North Carolina A&T, a Division 1 program, have shown their interest in Alex. My experiences in life . . . have all come together and taught me how to face adversity, he wrote in his college essay. This has not only made me a better person but has prepared me to face the challenges of my future as a man and college student. His family and the Capeverdean community are counting on him as a perfect example of how education and sports can help divert at-risk youths from the streets.
Ivan's Stonehill Cruises Past Saint Michael's, 76-61 - Feb 25, 2010 (by Pedro Gomes)
EASTON, Mass. (February 13, 2010) - Stonehill College, ranked 25th in this week's National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll and also ranked second in the NCAA Division II East Regional rankings, built a 22-point halftime lead behind 60-percent shooting in posting a 76-61 victory over Saint Michael's College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon [read more]
EASTON, Mass. (February 13, 2010) - Stonehill College, ranked 25th in this week's National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll and also ranked second in the NCAA Division II East Regional rankings, built a 22-point halftime lead behind 60-percent shooting in posting a 76-61 victory over Saint Michael's College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.
Stonehill placed four players in double-figures, with sophomore Ivan Almeida (Praia, Cape Verde) leading the way with 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field, draining his lone three-point attempt, to go with nine rebounds (six offensive), a season-high matching three blocked shots and two steals. Senior A.J. Rudowitz (Monroe Township, N.J./Monroe Township) also netted 15 points, making 7-of-8 shots from the field while converting his lone free-throw, to go with five rebounds and two blocks. He moved into tenth place on the program's career scoring charts on the afternoon, reaching 1,462 career points and passing Stonehill Athletic Hall of Famer Dick Munson who netted 1,448 points from 1962-65.
Junior Daniel Heppert (Richmond, Va./Benedictine) made 3-of-5 shots from the field, including 2-for-4 from three-point range, while converting 3-of-4 free-throws, to go with five rebounds and three assists. Senior Randall Stallworth (Toms River, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) also netted ten points to go with three assists.
Freshman Travis Warech (Pine Brook, N.J./Montville) led Saint Michael's with a game-high 20 points, shooting 8-of-16 from the field, including all three from beyond the arc, while converting his lone free-throw attempt to go with a team-high matching five rebounds and two blocked shots. Junior Nate Birr (Burnsville, Minn./Saint Thomas Academy) added 15 points, draining 3-of-6 three-pointers, five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Qua'ron Pinckney (Bronx, N.Y./Saint Benedict's) chipped in 11 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Senior A.J. Rudowitz cracked the top ten on Stonehill's career scoring list with his 15 points today.
Stonehill finished shooting 51.9-percent (28-for-54) from the field for the afternoon, after using a 60% (18-30) first half performance, including 5-for-8 (62.5%) from three-point range, to open a 22-point (44-22) margin by halftime. Saint Michael's was held to 38.9% (21-54) for the afternoon, but did connect on 9-of-17 (52.9%) three-pointers, while converting 10-of-12 (83.3%) free-throws. The Skyhawks posted a 39-25 rebounding advantage which resulted in a 15-4 break in second-chance points.
Stonehill used a 12-0 run over a four-minute span to turn a four-point (16-12) lead with 12:23 left in the first half into a 16-point (28-12) bulge after two free-throws by Heppert with 8:16 to go before the break. Almeida and freshman Brian Hamor (Guilderland, N.Y./Bishop Gibbons) sparked the run with three-pointers. A layup by Heppert pushed the Skyhawks lead to 18 (38-20) with 4:12 to go, before scoring the final six-points to carry a 22-point lead (44-22) into the break.
Trailing by 21 (50-29) less than two minutes into the second half, Saint Michael's closed within 12 (50-38) with nine-straight points after a Birr layup. The Purple Knights were still within 12 (56-44) after a layup by Pinckney with 11:28 remaining, but Stonehill recovered and regained a 21-point margin (69-48 ) with a 13-4 run over the next five minutes after a three-point play by Rudowitz with 6:36 to go.
Saint Michael's moved back within 14 (69-55) after a Warech three with 4:13 remaining, but Stonehill held the Purple Knights right there, scoring seven-straight points, four from Stallworth, to regain the 21-point margin (76-55) with 2:35 on the clock to seal the win.
Joao Gomes extends contract with Breogan - Feb 5, 2010 (by Pedro Gomes)
Joao 'Betinho' Gomes (199-F-85) has agreed to prolong his contract with Breogan for one more season. The 24-year-old forward arrived in Spain back in 2008.
Last season the Portuguese player averaged 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per appearance. This season started even better for Joao Gomes.
The forward delivers 11.5 points, 5.3 boards and 1.5 steals per game in the LEB Gold. Joao Gomes played for the sensational Portuguese selection at the 2007 EuroBasket [read more]
Joao 'Betinho' Gomes (199-F-85) has agreed to prolong his contract with Breogan for one more season. The 24-year-old forward arrived in Spain back in 2008. Last season the Portuguese player averaged 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per appearance. This season started even better for Joao Gomes. The forward delivers 11.5 points, 5.3 boards and 1.5 steals per game in the LEB Gold. Joao Gomes played for the sensational Portuguese selection at the 2007 EuroBasket. He tallied 10.0 points, 3.8 boards and 1.2 assists at the tournament.
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