Palestine 80 Crockett 78

[texasjeremy]

Palestine rallies over Crockett, 80-78

The Palestine Herald

By SCOTT TYLER

H-P Sports Editor



CROCKETT – All Palestine’s Kevin Birdow wanted was a chance to redeem himself.

Birdow had just missed two free throws with 23 seconds left in a tied game against Crockett Monday night and the Wildcat senior got his chance.

Birdow made a pair of free throws with six seconds left and Palestine, which trailed by as many as 16 points, rallied for an 80-78 win over the Bulldogs.

“Anytime you can come into Crockett and win, it is huge,” Palestine head coach Jamie Driskell said. “It is right up there with a district win and hopefully this will get the kids going.”

Birdow, who scored six of his 12 points in the final two and a half minutes of the game, got a steal with less than 30 seconds left and was fouled going up for a layup with the game tied, 78-78.

Birdow missed both shots, with the second going out of bounds, but he got a chance for redemption when Crockett threw the ball out of bounds on the ensuing inbounds play.

After a Palestine timeout, the Wildcats (4-4) worked the ball to Birdow, who drove to the baseline and was fouled while going up for a jumper.

This time, Birdow came through with six seconds left by making both free throws and giving the Wildcats an 80-78 lead.

"That is why Kevin is in there, because is he such a clutch player," Driskell said. "He was upset at missing those first two free throws, but he came through at the end.

“Everyone stepped up in the fourth quarter and it was a great team effort.”

Crockett had one last chance for the win but an off balance three-point attempt by T.C. Henry was long and before the Bulldogs could get the rebound, the horn sounded and the Palestine bench rushed the court to celebrate the victory with the other five players.

“This wins shows what kind of character this team has,” Driskell said.

The Wildcats showed a lot of character in the second half after Palestine struggled with the press in the first half and trailed by 16 points at halftime.

Palestine started chipping away at the lead in the third quarter and got within single digits when Larry Jackson had a layup off an Andre Skinner pass and then Jackson hit a three pointer from the corner as Crockett led 52-45.

Palestine cut the lead with two minutes left in the third quarter when Patrick Turner had a layup and off the press, Birdow got the steal and fed the ball to Turner for another score.

Jackson, who had a game-high 24 points to go along with 12 rebounds, had a layup with 1:05 left and Palestine trailed 60-57.

However, Crockett would go on a 6-2 run in the final minute of the third quarter and re-establish a seven-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Crockett would increase its lead back to 10 points in the first minute of the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats again started to chip away at the Bulldog margin.

Palestine got the deficit to four points when Jackson made two free throws and off the press, Jeremy Bailey got a steal and passed the ball to Greg Anderson for a layup.

“I think the difference in the fourth quarter was we started to handle their press and they were struggling against our press,” Driskell said.

A steal and a layup by Kevin Swanson got Palestine within two points, 70-68, and after the teams traded baskets, Palestine tied the game at 73-73 with 2:24 left when Skinner, in the paint, found Birdow for a layup. Skinner had four assists and six blocks on the night.

Crockett would take a 76-73 lead with 1:51 left when Lee Martinez completed a three-point play with a basket and the free throw.

After a Birdow 15-foot pull up jumper, Martinez answered with two more free throws and Crockett led 78-75 with 1:32 to play, but it would be the last time Crockett would score.

Anderson, who had 12 points, tied the game for Palestine with 1:18 left in the game on a three-pointer from the corner.

Crockett looked to stall for the final minute, but turned the ball over on the Birdow steal with less than 30 seconds left, setting up the free throws and the win for Palestine.

In the final minute and a half of the game, Crockett turned the ball over twice and had only one shot attempt — the desperation three-pointer at the end of the game.

The Bulldogs, who scored 25 points in the first and second quarter each, scored a total of 28 points in the second half.

In the first half, it was Crockett’s pressure defense that gave the Bulldogs the lead.

Palestine led 14-10 when Crockett started to use the full-court press, forcing multiple turnovers leading to easy baskets for the Bulldogs.

“When people pressure us, we struggle and we have to work on that,” Driskell said. “When we run it right, like in the fourth quarter, we have success. Hopefully we learned a lesson from it tonight.”

Crockett went on a 14-0 run in the first quarter and early minutes of the second quarter to take a 30-18 lead. Palestine Chrys Davis stopped the scoreless streak with a pair of free throws in the second quarter.

Palestine got within eight points with over three minutes left in the half on a three pointer by Turner, who had 11 points. However, Crockett would end the half on a 10-2 run to take a 50-34 halftime lead.

[mwynn05]

Im shocked Palestine won this one. Crockett really impressed me. Sounds like Palestine got down big but didn't quit thats a good win for those guys

[Old Tiger]

FF owns all!

[texasjeremy]

Rest of Palestine's non-district schedule

Dec. 15 - Athens
Dec. 21 - @ Rusk (if they don't cancel Rusk's season before then)
Dec. 28-30 - Lovelady Tournament
Jan. 2 - Lufkin
Jan. 5 - @ Kemp (rematch of the OT thriller in the semi's of the Fairfield Tournament)
Jan. 9 - Chapel Hill

[coach]

Originally posted by texasjeremy
Rest of Palestine's non-district schedule

Dec. 15 - Athens
Dec. 21 - @ Rusk (if they don't cancel Rusk's season before then)
Dec. 28-30 - Lovelady Tournament
Jan. 2 - Lufkin
Jan. 5 - @ Kemp (rematch of the OT thriller in the semi's of the Fairfield Tournament)
Jan. 9 - Chapel Hill

y would they cancel rusk's season???? just curious what happened

[coach]

Originally posted by mwynn05
Im shocked Palestine won this one. Crockett really impressed me. Sounds like Palestine got down big but didn't quit thats a good win for those guys

u goin to the game friday??? llokin for number 13

[texasjeremy]

Originally posted by coach
y would they cancel rusk's season???? just curious what happened

Aparently they have had a couple of incidents this season involving the Rusk players being out of control.


1. After a loss to Frankston, a few members of the Rusk team knocked windows out of Frankston vehicles, which caused them to be kicked out of the Frankston tournament, forfeiting their next game with Westwood.

2. Started a brawl with Bullard players in the hallway at halftime of their game.

[texasjeremy]

Did Fairfield play last night?

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by coach
u goin to the game friday??? llokin for number 13

I dono i might i dono if i wanna drive that far though.

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by texasjeremy
Did Fairfield play last night?

yeah they played Hearne and ive seen 2 scores one was 87-50 and the other was 82-51 both in Fairfield's favor

[texasjeremy]

How do none of these Fairfield kids show up on any recruiting lists, especially that Mellontree kid?

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by texasjeremy
How do none of these Fairfield kids show up on any recruiting lists, especially that Mellontree kid?

lol The Nolan you see against Palestine isnt the Nolan that shows up every game he just wants to play good against Palestine because his cousin is on the team and he knows all of the Palestine guys. It's hard to get him to go inside he wants to do that lil turn around move all the time instead of playing strong inside...I used to hear it everyday and im sure Worley still tells him. Im not sayin he doesnt try normally hes just a lot more motivated against Palestine and probably will be against Westwood too....That and he isn't big enough unless they want him to play the 2 or the 3...not to play D1 any way it would probably be smaller schools if he plsyed but he could hes good enough. Another reason is there is no superstar which is good and bad its good that everyone can contribute which is good but i kind of think we sort of need one of the to be more of a go to guy...and that could definetley be nolan if he would play more inside out then outside in

[texasjeremy]

Originally posted by mwynn05
lol The Nolan you see against Palestine isnt the Nolan that shows up every game he just wants to play good against Palestine because his cousin is on the team and he knows all of the Palestine guys. It's hard to get him to go inside he wants to do that lil turn around move all the time instead of playing strong inside...I used to hear it everyday and im sure Worley still tells him. Im not sayin he doesnt try normally hes just a lot more motivated against Palestine and probably will be against Westwood too.

Yeah, I noticed he basically didn't come to play the whole tournament, except against Palestine (lucky us). But you would think he had the skill to at least be recruited by someone. How about that #3, I was very impressed with his play.

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by texasjeremy
Yeah, I noticed he basically didn't come to play the whole tournament, except against Palestine (lucky us). But you would think he had the skill to at least be recruited by someone. How about that #3, I was very impressed with his play.

Good player hes not even really making his shots right now either probably the 2nd best defender on the team over all maybe the best on the ball defender but not as good off the ball (compared to Alfraid Manning (#20) who I would say is the best defender all the way around and most complete play over all) Hes a good point guard but sometimes makes bad decisions. That and I think he fouls more than anyone ever. I hated going against him in practice talk about having scratches on your arms. Coach Worley has been working on him with not playing so hard early in the game and picking up cheap fouls (not telling him not to play hard early but to play SMART and understand he cant pick up 2 fouls early and be on the bench most of the first half) oh and i edited the post above this one

[coach]

Originally posted by texasjeremy
Yeah, I noticed he basically didn't come to play the whole tournament, except against Palestine (lucky us). But you would think he had the skill to at least be recruited by someone. How about that #3, I was very impressed with his play.

also the kids there arent the true college proto-type basketball players...they play well to gether and they dont have all the attributes but i think a few of them could play at dII also the reason nolan played hard against palestine is bc he is related to hals the team....but dont be surprised if you don hear from these kids after high school...they play well together and sometimes they rather score than win and the scouts will see that and not recrui tthem plus if you had parents like them it would be hard to play for the team and at the same time lpay to get looked at just ask mwynn and e_v they know what im talkin about....see you in district texas jeremy and hope to hear from you