’Jacks get Dearring first win against old team

LARGO – Chesapeake College head men's basketball coach Joel Dearring says it takes about 10 games for a coach to get to know his team.  So how's he feeling about his Skipjacks, who capped their first 10 games with an 84-78 win over Prince George's Community College Wednesday night to give Dearring his first win over his old school?

"My team is about to turn the corner," said Dearring.  "They want to play together and they're playing towards ultimate success."

Dearring, who became Chesapeake's head coach in 2010, had been 0-2 against the school where he spent 20 years as an assistant and where he still works full-time in the admissions office.  He admitted this victory was a little bit special.

"I love every win," said Dearring with a laugh, adding, "It felt good.  There were a lot of my former players there.  It was a really great experience.  Anytime you go to a place where you've been for over 20 years, it's an event."

Chesapeake (6-4 overall, 2-2 league) never trailed and led by as many as 20 points while winning for the fourth time in the last five games.  The Skipjacks had a 38-30 lead at the half.

Akanni Salako followed up his school-record, 47-point performance against the Naval Academy's junior varsity with a game-high 26 points.  Geran Pope (15 points, 18 rebounds) posted his ninth double-double in 10 games while William Gilmore (11 points, 16 assists) broke the school record for assists for the second straight game.

"Salako is really coming into his own," said Dearring.  "Gilmore is getting better every game and Pope is just a warrior – he's going to go in there and battle every single game."

Chad Church (eight rebounds) was the fourth Skipjack in double figures with 11 points and Jahmante Jackson just missed double digits with eight points.

NieRonn Miles led PG with 19 points, and teammates Tyler Logan and Deandre Leatherwood added 11 points apiece for the Owls.  William Johnson (team-high five assists) just missed double figures with nine points.  Lamont Short had a team-high seven rebounds to go with his six points.

The Owls (3-4, 0-3) hit just 11-of-21 free throws (52 percent) and lost their third straight game.

Chesapeake travels to Potomac State College of West Virginia University Saturday for a 4 p.m. game against the Catamounts in a Region XX contest.