DURING 4 YEARS as a basketball star for Boys' Latin Charter, guard Maurice "Doo-Wop" Watson has been able to check out a large Wilt Chamberlain mural behind the west basket at Shepard (nee Haddington) Rec Center, where BL plays its home games and usually holds practice.
Chamberlain grew up a deep threeball away at 401 N. Salford Street and basically lived in Haddington, at 57th and Haverford, while polishing his skills.
Now, the two are partners in points. And "Doo-Wop" even leads "Dippy."
Saturday at Ben Franklin, in a Public League quarterfinal that was also the Class AAA championship game, Watson shot 11-for-20 (4-for-6 on treys) and 15-for-19 for 41 points as BL toasted Philadelphia Electrical & Technology Charter, 81-60.
His career total now stands at 2,228, No. 2 in city history to 2003 Strawberry Mansion grad Maureece Rice (2,681). Wilt finds himself third at 2,206.
Watson tied, then passed Wilt with a pair of free throws 1:34 prior to halftime. The game was halted briefly and the mini-celebration featured a lengthy, emotional hug between Watson and his father/coach, Maurice Sr.
* In the other quarterfinal at Franklin (AA final), Terrence Brown (19) and sixth man Basil Malik (13) sparked Communications Tech past Roberts Vaux, 58-55. Rysheed Jordan (19) led the Cougars, but was unable to hit a last-second trey.
- Ted Silary
