Manor over Diboll in nail bitter.

[Diboll_Lumberjackk]

Diboll falls tonight underneath a triple team on J-Finely who was only held to 17 points manor has very good D an was able to pull it off sadly. They play Kountze sat at 5:30 best of luck to the mustangs.

Manor 51
Diboll 48

Diboll falls to 33-3 a great season indeed an many records broken.

<small>[ March 06, 2004, 02:59 AM: Message edited by: Diboll_Lumberjackk ]</small>

[Diboll_Lumberjackk]

HUNTSVILLE - Riding the cliche' all the way through the post-season, the Manor Mustangs' defense hasn't yet won a championship, but it may very well have earned an opportunity to play for one.

Manor ended Diboll's dream season with an oxymoron of a game - an action-packed defensive struggle - rallying in the fourth period and holding the ’Jacks at bay in the end for a 51-48 win in regional finals play Friday at Sam Houston State University.

The Mustangs held the Lumberjacks to their lowest point total of the season, triple-teaming Diboll big man Jermichael Finley and thereby thwarting the ’Jacks offensive opportunities. Finley, unable to get the ball down low - the key to the Lumberjack offense - finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds, but was only able to attempt 11 field goals the entire game.

Worse news for the Lumberjacks was that by denying Finley the ball, the Mustangs were able to prevent the Diboll guards from cutting to the hoop as they'd done against Marlin just three days before. The Lumberjacks were just 2-of-6 from the field in the final eight minutes; they missed four crucial free throws in the same span.

In the bitter defensive struggle, Manor managed to free their own big man, Donald Dawson, to the tune of 30 points. Dawson balanced his output nicely, finishing with 15 points in each half. Mustang teammate Xavier Chambers scored 12 for Manor, but it was his ball-handling prowess and defensive savvy that helped boost his group to the regional finals.

The contest featured 15 lead changes and six ties; the biggest lead for either team was a mere nine points.

Diboll built that nine-point margin by opening the third period with a 7-1 run to go up 31-22 at the 6:40 mark. E.K. Hubbard nailed a three to start the surge and scored on a fast-break bucket off a Chad Chittum steal to end the run.

But Manor regrouped defensively, pressing the Lumberjacks into turnovers on four straight possessions. The result was an 11-2 Mustang scoring run to keep the game tight heading into the final period. There, Manor answered every Diboll bucket to hold onto a four-point lead until Finley hit the back end of a one-and-one situation to trim the 'Jack deficit to three at 51-48 with just 11 seconds to play.

The ’Jacks didn't allow their season to end without a fight: The game's final 11 seconds were a dizzying ride for the hundreds of red-clad fans. Trailing by three, Diboll got a steal from Finley on a Manor inbounds pass; but the three-point attempt from Luis Rios bounced off and headed out of bounds, where Lakendrick Oliphant made a spectacular diving save. Finley retrieved the ball and attempted the potential game-tying three-pointer; but the ball rimmed out at the buzzer, leaving both Lumberjacks and Mustangs standing in stunned silence.

Diboll ends their school record-setting season at 33-3. The game was the final in a Lumberjack uniform for seniors Reggie Nieves, Chris Buenrostro, Luis Rios, Lakendrick Oliphant, Demarcus Mark and Dylan Oliver.

BOX SCORE

Jermichael Finley 17; E.K. Hubbard 7; Luis Rios 6; Jeremy Loyd 6; Chad Chittum 5; Lakendrick Oliphant 5; Reggie Nieves 2.

THREE-POINTERS: Hubbard, Rios.

[j_dog]

My condolences on the loss Diboll, but you guys did have a good run! :)

[bevo]

Here too jackk...Congratulations Diboll!

[Diboll_Lumberjackk]

Manor fell to Diboll by 10 i think Diboll could have hung in there as well. frown

[Mustang '89]

Diboll_Lumberjackk:
Manor fell to Diboll by 10 i think Diboll could have hung in there as well. :(Did you mean Kountze?

[Diboll_Lumberjackk]

yeah crap im so messed up. ewwk beer will do that to ya kids dont drink :p

[exbccards76'smom]

The Kountze/Manor ballgame was close right up to the end. With Kountze dropping to 2A next year, they should rule in Basketball again.