Eleanor Roosevelt vs. DuVal: B.J. Antoine steals the show in a 55-50 victory

Splitting out as a wide receiver or playing coverage as a defensive back for the Eleanor Roosevelt football team has taught B.J. Antoine a thing or two about reading a pass. He’s become a deft judge of the quarterback’s eyes.

On the basketball court, Antoine practices the same principles. He draws a line in his mind from the opposing player with the ball to his intended target, and marks the ball’s trajectory. So when his team needed a jolt against No. 15 DuVal on Friday night in Greenbelt, Antoine made three crucial fourth-quarter steals in a defensive battle to lead Eleanor Roosevelt to a 55-50 win.

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Eleanor Roosevelt senior guard Chaun Miller finished with 13 points and five rebounds to lead the Raiders in a Prince George's 4A game in Greenbelt.

The impact Antoine made in the final eight minutes was significant not only because it helped decide the game — the steals led to six points — but also because the senior guard didn’t start the game.

Coach Brendan O’Connell wanted to motivate his seniors into rising to the occasion against DuVal (11-4, 9-3 Prince George’s 4A), which had upset the Raiders earlier this season. So Antoine began the game on the bench.

He finished with four points for the Raiders (12-3, 10-2 Prince George’s 4A).

“When I came in, I knew I had to make an impact to make up for the lack in leadership,” said Antoine, who is considering Howard, Penn or a prep school to play football next season. “That’s why I didn’t start. We came in and had to do it big and that’s why we got the win over a great team.”

Senior Chaun Miller, the Raiders’ leading scorer, also didn’t start for the same reason.

But when he entered the game in the second quarter, Miller made an immediate impact and finished with a team-high 14 points.

“I just wanted the seniors to do more and I guess they responded,” O’Connell said.

DuVal used its speed to counter Eleanor Roosevelt’s size by attacking the rim and spreading the ball around. Senior guard Kevin Kuteyi proved particularly difficult to stop as he scored a game-high 16 points.

The Raiders drew even at 41-41 early in the fourth quarter after Antoine intercepted a DuVal pass and fed Miller for a layup. Leading 47-43 with three minutes left, Antoine stole another pass and finished with a fast-break layup. And leading 53-50, Antoine stole his third pass of the quarter, which set up two free throws by Trevor Evans (11 points).

Antoine is “a tremendous lift on our team,” Miller said. “Every time he steps on the floor, you know you’re not going to have a lack of defense. It’s a blessing to have a guy like this playing alongside me.”