Gators lose overtime heartbreaker, 57-55|[01/20/07]

Published 12:00 am Saturday, January 20, 2007

With coach Dellie C. Robinson in Chicago on a family emergency, the Vicksburg High Gators almost gave him a wonderful welcome home gift.

Vicksburg played Madison to a virtual standstill through four quarters and overtime and seemed destined for a second extra frame when Madison Central’s Bradley Patterson nailed a fallaway jumper over three Gators as time expired for a 57-55 Division 3-5A victory in front of a packed crowd.

&#8220I looked up and saw we had about four seconds left and I was gonna pass, but I got double teamed and had to go straight up and it went in,” said Patterson, who attempted only two shots on the night. &#8220I knew it was going in.”

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The buzzer-beater ended a game in stark contrast to the teams’ first meeting. In that game, Madison Central jumped out to an 18-0 lead en route to a 92-69 drubbing.

&#8220The bottom line is our guys understood what Coach Robinson was trying to put across to them,” said VHS coach Troy Stewart, the varsity team’s usual assistant coach. &#8220We worked all week on how to slow their big men down and they did a good job.”

Center Malcoln Kirkland scored 10 points and 6-foot, 7-inch Jacoby Pittman scored only six. The Gators hammered the boards, snagging 40 rebounds, 18 of which were offensive boards.

Dekores Branch had his best game of the season with 11 points and 14 rebounds, eight offensive. Jonathan Phelps and John Qualls paced the Gators with 13 points each, and Jaybri Williams added 11.

The two teams traded leads throughout the first half and Madison (13-10, 2-0 Division 3-5A) held a 50-48 advantage with less than a minute to play in the game. Phelps then hit a running one-hander to tie the game at 50. Madison had three chances to win in the final seconds, but none found the hoop.

The Jaguars scored the first five points of overtime before Qualls converted a three-point play to get the Gators (12-7, 2-2) within two at 55-53. Delmon Robinson then had a steal and hoop to tie the game at 55 with 41 seconds to play.

Kirkland blocked a Vicksburg shot to give possession back to the Jags, who ran the clock down to four seconds before calling timeout.

&#8220We wanted to play tight man-to-man,” Stewart said of his final defense. &#8220We wanted (Patterson) to shoot, he got the ball and with three men on him, he hit it. You have to tip your hat to him. He had three men on him.”

Jeremy Adams led Madison with 21 points to go along with Kirkland’s 10.

(G) Vicksburg 62, MC 42

Rachel Jenkins scored a game-high 18 points to lead four Missy Gators in double figures in a division blowout.

Tiffany Williams netted 12 points, while Kamiko Martin and Taylor Ammons each scored 10 for VHS.

Koesha Ransom led Madison Central with 15 points.