The days aren’t as long as they used to be for Cory Semper. The man who led Bayside’s boys basketball team to a Queens borough title last year and an appearance in the PSAL ‘AA’ city quarterfinals is now the head coach at HS of Construction, which competed in Class A last season.
It was a logical move for Semper, being able to coach at the same school he works at. He no longer has to check up on his players during the day through a third party and can start practices right after school, at 2:30 p.m., instead of three hours later, which allows him to get home to his wife and two young daughters around dinner time.
“Maybe it’ll make my hair grow back, I don’t know,” Semper quipped.
Semper has quickly built Construction into a team to be reckoned with, as evidence by its 70-51 win over Holy Trinity on Saturday in the St. John the Baptist Holiday Showcase.
The Redhawks are led by a trio of transfers: senior guard Marlon Alcindor from St. John’s Prep, junior guard Justin Wright-Forman from Christ the King, and senior forward Justyn Gardner, who was with Construction as a junior but transferred before last season from McClancy.
Alcindor and Wright-Forman have been friends since they were in elementary school and live around the corner from each other in East Elmhurst.
David Wexler
Peter Alkins of Holy Trinity squares off with Marlon Alcindor of Construction at St. John The Baptist HS Saturday.
“They’re going home together. They’re together every day, so the chemistry is there,” Semper said. “Now everybody else has to buy in to what they’re trying to do.”
Everybody seemed to buy in Saturday. The Redhawks, 6-0 in PSAL Queens ‘AA’, took over after the score was tied 34-34 at halftime. A better effort closing down Trinity shooters and hot shooting of their own led to a 17-6 Redhawks advantage in the fourth quarter. Wright-Forman led the way with 24 points. Alcindor had 19 points. Gardner had 20 points and was a force on the glass throughout the contest, grabbing several offensive rebounds to keep possessions alive.
The boys from East Elmhurst, who both have Division I interest, are enjoying their time together on the court.
“Knowing how he plays and how I play, great minds come together and just play,” Wright-Forman said.
Semper said the biggest challenge is getting his kids to play hard every game at a new level.
“The last two games we’ve played pretty well,” he said. “Hopefully we’re making the turn now.”
FLYER POWER: Semper’s old team, Bayside, now led by former JV coach Steven Scharf, lost to Chaminade 66-54.
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