Sports&Recreation
DAYTON — Daequan Cook, Derrick Brown, Aaron Pogue, Norris Cole ...
Those are just a few of the notable basketball players nurtured by veteran coach/teacher Jamesetta Taylor.
In serving her 23-year “apprenticeship” at Fairview Middle School, Taylor can point to that fabulous foursome as an indicator of her contribution to their careers.
Dunbar product Cook was drafted by the NBA’s Miami Heat after his freshman year at Ohio State University. He was traded to Oklahoma City last week.
According to another successful City League coach, Dunbar’s Sidney Booker, it was Cook who purchased the basketball uniforms this past season for the Wolverines.
Last year, Cook provided sweatsuits for his alma mater.
Brown, a former Chaminade Julienne star, played at Xavier and plays for the Charlotte Bobcats.
Cole, another Dunbar grad, plays for Cleveland State, as does Pogue.
And Taylor has a knack for celebrating success with success. This past spring, her girls track team at Thurgood Marshall High School (Colonel White) won another city championship.
It was Marshall’s second straight city crown, after Taylor launched her first year with the her Cougar girls by finishing second.
“When you have the dedicated, hard-working girls and boys it makes the job sweeter,” said Taylor, who nailed at least a dozen city middle-school championships during her lengthy tenure at Fairview.
Taylor doesn’t mention it, but a head coaching job in the city was always in the back of her mind.
“I have 34 years coaching and teaching in the city and will be hanging it up before long, but for the time being, I’m loving it (the championships).”
The Dayton Western Hills resident, ably assisted this spring by Kim Northsworthy and Lawrence Whitmore, saw her up-and-coming Cougars claim seven firsts and five seconds in piling up 123 points. Dunbar was a distant second with 76, followed by Stivers (63), Belmont (45), Ponitz (38) and Meadowdale (35).
Marshall’s tracksters dominated with seven firsts and five seconds.
Sophomore Shanice Jackson ruled the distance races, taking the 1,600 in 6 minuteds 46 seconds and the 3,200 in 16:03. Janaye Scott, a junior, won the long jump with a leap of 17-2¼. Sophomore Da’Shanay took the shot put with 19-9¾ and the discus with 97-7.
Marshall’s 400-relay quartet of sophomore Asia Ray, junior Sarahann Blount, senior Shakia Prude and Scott also won. Blount also won the 300 hurdles in 50.92.
According to Taylor, Prude has received a basketball scholarship to Sinclair Community College.
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