Jaye’Lyn Peebles dribbles at a recent Cardinal O’Hara practice. The junior guard has emerged as one of the Lions’ top offensive threats. (Times Staff/Tom Kelly IV)
By Matt De George
As statistics from the first night of the basketball season flooded in a week and a half ago, one number stood out, as much for its prodigiousness as its somewhat unlikely source.
In Cardinal O’Hara’s opener against Pope John Paul II at the Devon Prep Tournament, Jaye’Lyn Peebles went off for 33 points in a 54-51 loss.
In absolute terms, that’s a stellar night, not just since he accounted for 65 percent of the Lions’ output. When you consider that the junior guard scored just 45 points last year despite being a regular rotation cog, the outburst is even more glaring.
Plotting it against his Delco peers adds another dimension of impressiveness: Of the 17 schools launching their seasons that night, only three scorers collected more than 20 points. Peebles was the only member of that trio to top 21.
It hasn’t been a one-off. Through Tuesday, Peebles is among the county leaders in scoring average at 21 points per game for the 2-1 Lions.