rockdale80
01-05-2006, 07:12 PM
Rockdale Reporter Online
RHS runs Buffs ragged with its pressing urgencym
Tigers force overtime period to secure their first district victory and have now won four out of five
BY BILL MARTIN
Reporter Staff Writer
With their outside shots abandoning them and several players in foul trouble, Rockdale literally went to its last line of defense in a effort to win—the full court press.
The strategy rescued the Tigers from an 11-point deficit and allowed them to steal a 55-53 overtime victory over Giddings Tuesday night at Tiger Gym as Tee Richardson converted a drive to the hole with four seconds left.
It was the Tigers first home game in almost a month as they improved to 8-11 on the season and 1-1 in District 19-3A. RHS has now won four of its last five and three in a row for the first time all season.
Giddings drops to 7-6 overall and 1-1 in league play.
“It was a play over here, a play over there,” said Rockdale Coach James Johnson. “ That’s three in a row and it’s a sweet three. “
At halftime, Johnson employed a full court press that would drop back into a zone and it worked perfectly. The Buffaloes turned the ball over 19 times in the third, fourth and overtimes periods.
“We want to live off everybody else’s turnovers,” Johnson said. “But up until tonight, we hadn’t gotten any rewards off it.”
Conversely, the Tigers turned the ball over only 12 times and not once in the extra period.
The Tigers had trouble finding the range from the outside (24-of-68 shooting for the game) and found themselves trailing by eight, 46-38, with 1 minute, 47 seconds left in the game.
RHS had previously trailed by 11 early in the third quarter.
Katory Morrison got the comeback started with a three-pointer from the left side, followed by Dan Drake’s two free throws. Then after Drake stole the inbounds pass, Sherrod Keith missed a trey that Dennis Brooks followed up to make it 47-45 with 37 seconds remaining.
After Giddings’ Chad Berry missed two free throws with 23 seconds left that could have sealed the win for the Buffaloes, Richardson drove the lane and dropped off a sweet pass to Drake for a layup with 11 seconds showing.
Giddings’ Jacob Schaefer missed a short turn around at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
Giddings’ Desmond Mathis opened the overtime scoring with a three from the right corner, but the Tigers used a banker and a free throw from Brooks, a drive from Richardson and a free throw from Dominique Mack to grab the lead, 53-50 with 47 seconds left.
Schaefer then bombed in a trey from 23-feet to quickly tie the game again before a determined Richardson went hard to the basket for the game winner.
Richardson sparked the Tigers with 15 points and a couple of key assists and steals. Morrison returned to action with 10 points despite suffering an injury with a minute left in overtime.
Drake collected eight points and six boards including some timely hustle for rebounds in the extra period and a pair of free throws and a bucket in the closing seconds to send the game into overtime.
Schaefer topped Giddings with 15 points.
RHS runs Buffs ragged with its pressing urgencym
Tigers force overtime period to secure their first district victory and have now won four out of five
BY BILL MARTIN
Reporter Staff Writer
With their outside shots abandoning them and several players in foul trouble, Rockdale literally went to its last line of defense in a effort to win—the full court press.
The strategy rescued the Tigers from an 11-point deficit and allowed them to steal a 55-53 overtime victory over Giddings Tuesday night at Tiger Gym as Tee Richardson converted a drive to the hole with four seconds left.
It was the Tigers first home game in almost a month as they improved to 8-11 on the season and 1-1 in District 19-3A. RHS has now won four of its last five and three in a row for the first time all season.
Giddings drops to 7-6 overall and 1-1 in league play.
“It was a play over here, a play over there,” said Rockdale Coach James Johnson. “ That’s three in a row and it’s a sweet three. “
At halftime, Johnson employed a full court press that would drop back into a zone and it worked perfectly. The Buffaloes turned the ball over 19 times in the third, fourth and overtimes periods.
“We want to live off everybody else’s turnovers,” Johnson said. “But up until tonight, we hadn’t gotten any rewards off it.”
Conversely, the Tigers turned the ball over only 12 times and not once in the extra period.
The Tigers had trouble finding the range from the outside (24-of-68 shooting for the game) and found themselves trailing by eight, 46-38, with 1 minute, 47 seconds left in the game.
RHS had previously trailed by 11 early in the third quarter.
Katory Morrison got the comeback started with a three-pointer from the left side, followed by Dan Drake’s two free throws. Then after Drake stole the inbounds pass, Sherrod Keith missed a trey that Dennis Brooks followed up to make it 47-45 with 37 seconds remaining.
After Giddings’ Chad Berry missed two free throws with 23 seconds left that could have sealed the win for the Buffaloes, Richardson drove the lane and dropped off a sweet pass to Drake for a layup with 11 seconds showing.
Giddings’ Jacob Schaefer missed a short turn around at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
Giddings’ Desmond Mathis opened the overtime scoring with a three from the right corner, but the Tigers used a banker and a free throw from Brooks, a drive from Richardson and a free throw from Dominique Mack to grab the lead, 53-50 with 47 seconds left.
Schaefer then bombed in a trey from 23-feet to quickly tie the game again before a determined Richardson went hard to the basket for the game winner.
Richardson sparked the Tigers with 15 points and a couple of key assists and steals. Morrison returned to action with 10 points despite suffering an injury with a minute left in overtime.
Drake collected eight points and six boards including some timely hustle for rebounds in the extra period and a pair of free throws and a bucket in the closing seconds to send the game into overtime.
Schaefer topped Giddings with 15 points.