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Former SU Basketball Player Coaching at Baldwinsville High School Former SU Player is Coaching High School Basketball

By Darcie Ortique

Anchor Intro:
Playoff season for the Baldwinsville Bees is not the ONLY reason the ballers have been buzzin’ around the court. Some of the players credit their coach, a former Orange and professional basketball player for their success. Our NCC News Reporter Darcie Ortique explains why the Bees are expressing their gratitude.

Darcie Ortique:
29-year-old Dajuan Coleman may have hung up his jersey playing overseas but hasn’t turned his back on the basketball court.

Ortique:
Today, Coleman is wrapping up his first year as an Assistant Coach for Baldwinsville High School and is doing whatever it takes to bring home a “W.”

Dajuan Coleman/Assistant Coach for B-Ville:
“We had a couple young players…So what I’m thinking for this Spring league is getting a lot of the J-V players and the Varsity players together, so they can get a lot [more] comfortable.”

Ortique:
But comfortable may be an understatement…John Capilli is a junior at Baker High School and says the comradery, is what keeps him lacing up for the game.

John Capilli/Junior Basketball Player:
“You’re not the only guy out there. You’re out there with five other people and most of the time, normally, in order to get the basket, all five people have to touch the ball, it’s not a single man game.”

Ortique:
For players like Jason Bifulco…Coach Coleman’s expertise keeps him motivated.

TAKE SOT/Jason Bifulco/Eleventh Grader at B-Ville High School:
“He obviously has a great mind, he can teach us all of the stuff that he used to do when he played; It’s really unlike anything else because he was actually at that high of a level before, unlike some other coaches.”

Ortique:
And while Coleman’s players admire him for his love for the game, he has one goal in mind.

Dajuan Coleman/Assistant Coach for B-Ville High School:
“Right now, we don’t want to put too much pressure on them. It’s just to have fun and hang out with their friends.”

Standup/Darcie Ortique:
“The final championship game takes place next Tuesday at 7 p-m, right here, in C-N-S High School. In Syracuse, Darcie Ortique, NCC News.”

Anchor Tag:
As the Bees prepare for their championship game, Coleman is already looking ahead, for the Summer League…which beings in July and ends in August.

NATS:
GOOD HELP. GOOD HELP. CALL OUT THE SCREEN.

Darcie Ortique:
29-YEAR-OLD DAJUAN COLEMAN MAY HAVE HUNG UP HIS JERSEY PLAYING OVERSEAS, BUT HASN’T TURNED HIS BACK ON THE BASKETBALL COURT.
TODAY, COLEMAN IS WRAPPING UP HIS FIRST YEAR AS AN ASSISTANT COACH FOR BALDWINSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND IS DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BRING HOME A “W.”

DAJUAN COLEMAN: IT’S BEEN PREETY GOOD. WE HAD A COUPLE YOUNG PLAYERS, SO WHAT I’M THINKING FOR THIS SPRING LEAGUE IS GETTING A LOT OF THE J-V PLAYERS AND THE VARSITY PLAYERS TOGETHER, SO THEY CAN GET A LOT [MORE] COMFORTABLE. SO, THE EARLIER WE GET THEM BUILDING CHEMISTRY, I THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE THE BETTER FOR THE UP AND COMING SEASON.

ORTIQUE:
BUT COMFORTABLE, MAY BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. JOHN CAPILLI IS A JUNIOR AT B’VILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND SAYS COLEMAN’S LESSONS IS WHAT KEEPS HIM LACING UP FOR THE GAME.

JOHN CAPILLI, BASKETBALL PLAYER
I TOLD HIM THAT HE REALLY HELPED ME GET MORE COMFORTABLE IN WAS POST-SPIN MOVES.

ORTIQUE:
BUT FOR PLAYERS LIKE JASON, COACH COLEMAN’S EXPERTISE IS WHAT KEEPS HIM MOTIVATED.

JASON BIFULCO, BASKETBALL PLAYER:
HE OBVIOUSLY HAS A GREAT MIND, HE CAN TEACH US ALL OF THE STUFF THAT HE USED TO DO WHEN HE PLAYED; IT’S REALLY UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE HE WAS ACTUALLY AT THAT HIGH OF A LEVEL BEFORE, UNLIKE SOME OTHER COACHES.

ORTIQUE:
AND WHILE COLEMAN’S PLAYERS ADMIRE HIM FOR HIS LOVE FOR THE GAME, HE HAS ONE GOAL IN MIND.

NATS:
STAY DOWN. STAY DOWN. WE’RE GOOD.

DAJUAN COLEMAN/BASKETBALL COACH:
RIGHT NOW, WE DON’T WANT TO PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THEM. IT’S JUST TO HAVE FUN AND HANG OUT WITH THEIR FRIENDS.

STANDUP/DARCIE ORTIQUE:
TONIGHT, B’VILLE HIGH SCHOOL DEFEATE NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL WITH A SCORE OF 46-37. THE FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TAKES PLACE NEXT TUESDAY AT 7 P-M, RIGHT HERE, IN C-N-S HIGH SCHOOL. IN SYRACUSE, DARCIE ORTIQUE, NCC NEWS.

SYRACUSE, NY (NCC NEWS) —You may recognize him from his time playing for the Syracuse Orange, or you may remember the Jamesville-DeWitt High School student who was named the 2012 McDonald’s All-American, who towered over his classmates. His name is Dajuan Coleman. The 29-year-old was a power forward for Hall of Fame Coach Jim Boeheim and went on to play professionally in Slovenia (2019).

Today, Coleman is still leaving his heart on the basketball court, but this time as an assistant coach for the Baldwinsville Bees. In addition to being a coach, Coleman has a full-time position as a student engagement specialist at Baldwinsville High School, where he works with students who need additional support. But his real passion is giving back and teaching others how to master the game he gave it all for.

“This is the first week of playoffs,” Coleman said. “We’re playing against Nottingham High School, this is my third week actually with the team and hopefully, we’re going to get this win tonight.”

The Spring League is held between May and June, where the Baldwinsville Bees get the opportunity to sharpen their skills, despite the fact that basketball season ends in March.

“It’s been pretty good,” Coleman said. “We had a couple young players, so what I’m thinking for this Spring League is getting a lot of the JV players and the varsity players together, so they can get a lot [more] comfortable.”

Building chemistry isn’t the only strategy the coach has in mind; teamwork is all part of it.

“Playing guard is about seeing the court, having good vision and leading your team, really,” Jeffrey Allen, 16, said.

Allen says he is still adapting to being a part of a team and learning from his teammates.

“I like being around the guys,” Allen said. “They are very competitive, they know how to move around the court, they’re teaching me how to move around the court, I’m trying to have chemistry with them, so this is why I am playing with them right now.”

Coleman wants his players to work together towards one common goal, but more importantly, to take this opportunity to have fun.

“I really do think this team got a lot of potential,” Coleman said. “We might be a lot better than the team from last year.”

Jason Bifulco is in the 11th grade and says he’s been playing basketball for years, but this his first time playing on the varsity team.

“Dajuan’s great,” Bifulco said. “We can learn a lot from him because he played at such a high level. It was really fun watching him when he played there [ Syracuse University] and I just love the energy he brings when he coaches us.”

The  Bees will play their championship game on  June 14 against Cicero-North Syracuse High School at 7 p.m.

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