Saturday, February 09, 2008
By Brice Cherry
Tribune-Herald youth sports editor
With each free throw the Waco High Lions buried, they tossed dirt on University’s postseason grave — while keeping their own hopes very much alive.
The Lions proved cold-blooded from the charity stripe, hitting seven of 10 foul shots in the final 75 seconds to slip past their crosstown rival University, 43-37, and keep themselves in the running for District 16-4A’s third and final playoff berth.
University, meanwhile, was eliminated from playoff contention after a night when the Trojans didn’t just suffer one loss — they got hit with three.
University coach Kevin Greenleaf learned this week that the team had inadvertantly allowed an ineligible player to compete in three district games — wins over Brownwood and Midway last week and a loss to Killeen on Tuesday. Though it won’t be official until after a district executive committee meeting next week, University will almost certainly be forced to forfeit those two wins, putting its record at 9-25 overall and 2-7 in the league.
Even with the forfeits, the Trojans would have still had a chance to reach the playoffs for the second straight year had they beaten Waco High, but the loss eliminated them.
Afterwards, Greenleaf struggled to find the words to verbalize his feelings over the day’s events.
“I’m not so much hurt over this game, but just everything else I’m dealing with,” said the coach, his voice cracking. “I would never knowingly play an ineligible player. I’ll even make a kid sit out if he breaks one of our team rules.”
Waco ISD athletic director Johanna Denson said that the violation was due to a bit of miscommunication between Greenleaf and a teacher over the nine-weeks grade of the player, who Denson said was enrolled in all honors courses. However, Greenleaf accepted responsibility on Friday.
“I’m the head coach, and the buck stops with me,” he said.
The game itself was a typical Waco High-University clash in many ways — particularly in its intensity and physicality.
After University’s Vencent Finley picked a Lion ballhandler’s pocket and threw down a dunk with 2:12 to play, the Trojans led, 36-32. But Waco High’s Terrance Adkism quickly answered with a bucket in the paint, sparking an 11-1 run by the Lions to close the game.
Much of that work was done from the free throw line, as Delonte Allen, Dontae Hollis and Adkism all knocked down clutch foul shots to help ice the win.
“The guys stepped up big-time from the line,” said Waco High coach Jeff Dunner, whose team improved to 12-18 and 4-5. “That’s something we’ve worked on a lot the last two days. We must have shot 100 free throws a day. It’s something we worked on pretty hard, because we knew it would be important.”
The game was a knock-down, drag-out defensive scrap throughout. Both team missed a number of bunnies around the rim in the first half, as the defenses aggressively challenged every shot.
A deft defensive play led to an early highlight for University, as Trojans forward Jarred Hall slipped away from his man to steal the ball from the Lions, then sprinted downcourt for a powerful breakaway dunk.
After Waco High’s Anthony Shaw tied the game at 17 on a one-handed follow shot with 30 seconds left in the first half, University crashed the boards to regain the lead by intermission. With just a couple of seconds left in the half, Finley hit a free throw and then missed a second, but his teammate Trayvon Porchia snuck into the paint to tip in the rebound for a 20-17 halftime edge.
The game remained tight throughout the second half, but ultimately Waco High’s defensive pressure and clutch foul shooting made the difference.
“We’re still in the hunt,” said a beaming Dunner afterward. “We knew against a good team like University we were going to have to play our best defense. We changed things up a lot and tried to keep them confused, and it led to some easy baskets.”
Hollis led Waco High with 14 points and Adkism added 10. Allen scored five of his eight points on six fourth-quarter free throw attempts.
For University, Porchia tossed in a team-high 14 points and Finley contributed nine.
Waco High can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Midway in its regular-season finale Tuesday, while University will close out with Copperas Cove.
“We’re going to try to close it out on a winning note,” University’s Greenleaf said. “Then we’ll work to get this program back on track.”
Killeen 67, Midway 45: In Killeen, the No. 8-ranked Kangaroos clinched the 16-4A title by rolling past Midway.
Corey Jefferson scored a game-high 26 points to lead Killeen (30-2, 9-0 in 16-4A).
Germaine Gilbert led Midway with 13 points, while Jacob Neubert had 10.
University’s forfeit of two district games means that the Panthers (19-12, 7-2) have wrapped up the second-place playoff berth from 16-4A.
West 59, Kennedale 57: In Kennedale, Lay Williams scored 25 points and the Trojans handed No. 7 Kennedale their first district loss.
West needs a win over Whitney and a Kennedale win over Hillsboro on Tuesday to earn the third-place playoff berth from 12-3A.
Phillip Varncik score 12 points and Dalton Vannatta had 10 for West (17-11, 5-4 in 12-3A).
La Vega 93, China Spring 25: Earl Stinnett scored 22 points as the Pirates hammered China Spring.
DeChristian McKinney had 19 points and Danzel Wilson added 14 to help La Vega improve to 19-10 and 6-3 in 17-3A action.
Connally 76, Robinson 55: Raphael Walker posted a game-high 18 points as the Cadets stayed a game in front of La Vega for second place in 17-3A.
D’Andre Simmons added 17 and Dexter Fulbright had 11 for Connally (21-7, 7-2).
Meridian 67, Goldthwaite 51: In Goldthwaite, Tony Allen scored 22 points and Torrence Allen added 21 as the Yellowjackets raced past Goldthwaite.
Meridian outscored Goldthwaite 32-20 in the second half.
Girls
Buffalo 45, Mart 39: In Groesbeck, Jocelyn Gilliam scored 16 points and the Lady Bison came from behind in the second half to defeat Mart in the first game of a multiple-game district playoff in 22-2A.
Buffalo advances to play Leon on noon today back at Groesbeck High School.
Mart is left to hope Buffalo wins today’s noon game. If that happens, Buffalo would advance to the playoff as the second-place team and Mart would play Leon for the third-place playoff berth at 6 tonight at Groesbeck.
The Lady Panthers took an 18-13 lead at halftime, but they were outscored, 32-21, in the second half.
Ashlee Vairetta led Mart with nine points.
