Kangaroos might have to hop without Taylor

Boys & Girls may have to get used to grinding out tough victories without Mike Taylor, possibly for the rest of the season.

Playing its second game without its suspended Rutgers-bound shooting guard, the Kangaroos narrowly beat Jefferson, 58-55, at home in a physical Brooklyn 'AA' division regular-season finale on Thursday.

Antione Slaughter had a game-high 16 points and Malik Nichols added 14 points for Boys & Girls. Eric Turpin led Jefferson with 12 points.

"There is no timetable, it's not determined," Gassaway told the Daily News. "The rule is that you're suspended from participating in sports if you fail your first period class. What I look at is how well you're passing the class, so that could be three-quarters of the way in or until the very end, depending on how it goes.

"It's my rule, so pretty much as long as I'm being fair, which is one of our values here, I can make a decision one way or the other depending on how you behave," he added. "I want to set the stage right now - not only for the seniors - but the incoming students, as well as freshmen, so they know when you're coming to Boys & Girls High School, it's to be a student first and an athlete second."

Gassaway emphasized that the Kangaroos' attempt to defend their PSAL crown in the upcoming playoffs won't affect his decision on Taylor's possible return.

"I'm not wavered by whether or not it's a championship game," said Gassaway, who is in his second year as the Boys & Girls principal. "I'm not thinking about the playoffs, the championship game or any of that because to me it's more than basketball or track or any club."

Taylor, dressed in plain clothes and in attendance to support his teammates Thursday, was confused about why he failed the first period class, but acknowledged that he's disappointed in himself.

"I thought I did all the projects and everything, but I failed," Taylor said. "I'm upset with myself, my mom was hurt by it. It's (the principal's) first period rule. I can't really get mad at that."

Taylor added that he's supposed to meet with the teacher whose class he failed on Friday and that he is optimistic that the meeting will result in him being allow him to return to the team sooner rather than later, or possibly never.

Previous Page 12 Next Page