Bogan’s Rashaun Agee is one of the few game-changing big men in the city. The 6-8 junior has great rebounding instincts, long arms and is developing a nice midrange jumper.
But Bengals coach Arthur Goodwin wants more production from his star and isn’t afraid to call him out publicly.
“[Agee] played better last year than he did this year,” Goodwin said. “He got all that hype, was All-City honorable mention. Some kids don’t work. Maybe next year he will come out and realize he needs to play hard every game to get the ink and the offers he wants.”
Goodwin says that Agee just doesn’t come to play against the city’s less respected teams.
“He’ll come out in those games and just not have it, score two points or whatever,” Goodwin said. “If you are a star you deliver in every game, consistently. I thought [former Bogan star Luwane Pipkins] was the same way his junior year. Then you saw what he did as a senior, he dominated. Agee needs to come back next year and do the same thing.”
Agee is trying to fix the problem.
“I just have to get into the game earlier,” Agee said. “It’s a mental thing. I need to play hard at all times. Just rebound and help the guards.”
Agee didn’t have any issues mentally or physically on Thursday against Farragut in the second round of the Public League playoffs. He scored 19 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to the lead the Bengals to a 64-44 win against the visiting Admirals.
Farragut’s tallest player is 6-5 junior Demetrius Schaffer.
“[Goodwin] told me from the start that I should be able to dominate,” Agee said. “He says that every game.”
The Bengals (17-7) led by 11 at the half and opened the third quarter with a 10-0 run to put the game out of reach.
Courtney Fields, one of just two seniors to play in the game, scored 10 for Bogan. Jordan Booker scored eight and Tyreon Hardin added nine points and five rebounds.
“It is all about Jordan Booker,” Goodwin said. “He’s the most consistent guard. He started last year. He makes us go.”
Goodwin and his players talk an awful lot about how good they will be next season. But they find themselves in the quarterfinals of the city playoffs this year. The Bengals will play at Orr on Tuesday.
“We lost to Simeon but everyone else we had a chance to beat,” Goodwin said. “It came down to the end with Curie. We are trying to get better and we are better than we were the beginning of the year. Anything can happen once you are in the quarterfinals. It’s going to be a toss up against Orr.”
Sophomore D’andre Allen led Farragut (14-10) with 14 points and four rebounds. Junior Aaron Strong added 11 points and five rebounds.
The Admirals were without point guard Reggie Strong, one of the state’s best sophomores. He’s out sick and also missed Tuesday’s first round win against Westinghouse.
