Devontae Watson achieves rare statistical feat: Triple quadruple

Devontae Watson once cut a gangly figure, all arms and spindly legs. He was able to block a shot here and there, too, when his limbs would unfold like a great crane and swat a ball into the stands or off a backboard.

But this, no one foresaw this. Not his coach. Probably not his teammates. Not even himself. At one time, the 6-foot-10 senior at Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.) was considered a project.

No longer.

Now Watson stands in rare company.

His nine blocked shots in Lincoln Park's dramatic 47-45 victory over West Middlesex in Friday night's PIAA Class A state quarterfinal game gave Watson a career rare triple quadruple: 1,168 points; 1,343 rebounds and 1,004 blocked shots.

According to the Pittsburgh Gazette's esteemed Mike White, "The only player believed to have 1,000 points, rebounds and blocked shots in a career is schoolboy legend Darnell 'Tank' Robinson, a 6-11 center who played at Emery High School in Emeryville, Calif., from 1990-93. He was a McDonald's All-American before going on to play at the University of Arkansas."

The National Federation of State High School Associations record book currently lists just Robinson as having 1,000 career blocked shots. That will change after Watson's performance on Friday.

Entering this season, Watson knew he had a chance to achieve this statistical anomaly. What makes it more impressive is that the athletic Temple-bound center did it in three years, since Watson transferred into Lincoln Park Charter from Hopewell High School his freshman year. He played in one game and blocked one shot.

"I never really thought about [reaching 1,000 in three statistical areas] until this year," said Watson, who aspires to be a defense attorney. "In past years playing basketball, I was trying to be a good teammate and have fun. I don't try to be big-headed about it or anything and I attribute this achievement to hard work more than anything. In the beginning of this year, my coaches tallied everything up and I was in shock with the totals. I looked at it and I was actually shocked that it was possible to have numbers like that over three years. I took it as a side goal, not a main goal. It is a big deal that we win a state championship before I graduate, so we definitely have some unfinished business."

Entering the state quarterfinals, Watson was averaging 12.6 points, 14.1 rebounds and 10.1 blocks this season.

Leopards coach Mark Javens was highly impressed by Watson's unquestionable height when he came to Lincoln Park. But he was a 6-8 beanpole who was very raw, still learning the game.

"Devontae obviously has length, but when he came to us, he needed a whole lot of work on offense," Javens said. "He came to block shots and he's long and has great timing. But through time, Devontae has gotten bigger and stronger, and his shot-blocking ability has progressed. Back then, as a freshman, he was like Bambi. He got pushed all over the floor. His sophomore year he wasn't doubled that often.

"It was his junior year that he got doubled and sometimes triple teamed. It's been a good progression. Devontae's best basketball is down the road. He'll play right away at Temple because he can rebound, block shots and run the floor. He's very athletic. He can even put the ball on the deck. I can't wait to see him in college, because from his sophomore year to his senior year, he has progressed both mentally and physically."

Javens and Leopards assistant coach/athletic director Mike Bariski point out that though Lincoln Park is a Class A (small school), the Leopards have a loaded schedule against teams from Class AAA and Class AAAA (Pennsylvania's largest classification). Watson's numbers are legit, too, as Javens has two statisticians to keep the books.

"When we played the larger schools, the Class AAAA schools, those kids wanted to challenge Devontae, and he'd set it back," Javens said. "They thought because we're a Class A, and Devontae was doing this against Class A schools, they would challenge him. They learned fast it doesn't matter what size the school, Devontae was going to block the shots. Sometimes, he'd block three or four shots during one possession. His numbers would have been bigger if we didn't pull him in the fourth quarter of games we were up big."

For now, Watson has another game to increase his rare career stats, against Ridgway March 20 in the PIAA Class A state semifinals. He's added some weight, no longer the bony kid that once got shoved around. Now he's a beefy 210 pounds with innate shot-blocking timing.

"I'll look back at this and it will be memorable because of the people I achieved it with, my teammates, my school and the coaches," Watson said. "Getting the [triple quadruple] is not done every day. But to do it with the people around me makes it more worthwhile."