Jump starter

By Joe Conroy

Published: February 26, 2008

The Potomac boys basketball team led North Stafford by just nine points after a four-point effort in the third quarter of Tuesday night’s Northwest Region quarterfinal in Dumfries and they were in danger of letting the Wolverines claw their way back into contention.

The Panthers needed some one to get them rolling. Mulku Kalokoh just has a knack for fitting that bill.

To begin the fourth quarter Kalokoh scored on two consecutive possessions to spark his team, including a layup on a fastbreak following a steal he created. For Kalokoh those were just the first of his eight points for the evening, aiding his squad to a 62-46 win and a region semifinal berth.

“We call him ‘The Machine,’” Keith Honore said of his 5-foot-10 guard. “If you watch and study us, when he gets one or two [baskets] you can expect three or four to come right behind them. He really gets into it — he just starts pumping.”

Kalokoh has a penchant for coming through in the clutch. In the fall he gathered key yards, scored pivotal touchdowns and blocked game-winning field goal attempts helping to push the Panthers gridiron gang to the state championship game.

He came up big yet again when Potomac (14-7) needed him, giving new life to the Panthers’ run-and-gun offense in their cramped home gym.

That fast-paced, fastbreak offense and a sea-of-hands defense kept the ball away from the North Stafford front court, effectivly killing any chance the Wolverines had in the game.

“That’s just who we are and what we do. That’s how we have to win,” Honore said. “I thought our guys probably did the best job of, discipline-wise, playing defense. Our guys defended without fouling.”

Roger Lassiter came in off the bench to pour in a game-high 17 points and grab four rebounds. Donald Vaughn collected seven rebounds to lead the Panthers in the category and added seven points.

But it was the adjustments Potomac made for the final period that Honore was most pleased with.

“North Stafford out-scored us in the second half, but North Stafford is in the playoffs for a reason,” the second-year coach said. “In the playoffs you have to be able to adjust and adjust quickly in order to be successful. That was good for us tonight to see that we can do that.”

Potomac will host 25-0 George Washington-Danville Thursday at 6 p.m.