Indians down Dragons 55-46 in overtime
Published 1:50 pm Monday, December 12, 2011
COURTLAND—Nick Doyle scored seven of his game-high 21 points in overtime to lift the host Indians to a 55-46 Southside District win over Park View Friday.
Southampton improved to 3-0 and 1-0 in the Southside District.
The teams played to a stalemate in the first quarter, which saw 2:05 run off the clock before the first basket was scored by Park View. That lead was short lived, but one they would recapture later in the fourth quarter.
The Indians put up 15 points in the second quarter, despite making five of eight free-throw attempts. The Dragons took advantage of some Southampton miscues on defense and put up 13 points, sending the teams into halftime with the home team leading 24-22.
The third quarter saw the Indians put on a defensive clinic as they opened up in a 1-3-1 zone that almost shut out the Dragon offense. A single free-throw was all they could muster for more than six minutes of play.
A late bucket and a free-throw at the end of the quarter gave the Dragons a third quarter total of 26. The Indians headed into the final quarter with a 31-26 lead.
In the fourth quarter, the Indians got into some bad spots defensively, which compounded with great ball movement by Park View and foul trouble early in the quarter. Indian starters benched for Jamal Johnson, Karon Evans and Jay’R McCain, who played only sparingly in the fourth quarter due to foul trouble.
And even though they did not crack the scoreboard, Hayden Spalding and Johnny Tribbett played extensive minutes through the fourth quarter and overtime, and were instrumental in the Indians staying in the game and helping them surge ahead in overtime.
Tyshawn Jackson and Michael Frazier also ate up some valuable time in the fourth.
A couple foul struggles and stagnancy on offense with a pair of Dragon “three’s,” and the Indians saw their lead evaporate about midway through the fourth quarter.
The teams battled back and fourth, and a bucket by Johnson gave the Indians the lead at 38-37 with less than a minute to play. A pair of free-throws put Park View up 39-38, and the Indians had the ball and a chance at the win.
A turnover sent the ball the other way and a foul put Park View back on the line, where a single make out of three attempts pushed the lead to two with less than 20 seconds remaining.
The Indians ran the play they wanted. Doyle’s shot was off right, and Evans was there with the put back with 3.5 seconds to play, tying up the game.
In overtime, the Indians started with a defensive stop, which then in transition, turned into a wide open Doyle three ball. McCain added two baskets on hustle plays under the home team’s basket. McCain put up 10 points to go with his 10 rebounds and four blocks on the night.
And after a De’Von Peterson bucket, another Indian stop, a-rocket-of-a-pass from Tribbett to Spalding under the goal put the Indians ahead 55-42.
Southampton played Franklin on Tuesday night, but no results were available as of press time. Southampton on Friday, Dec. 16, will head to Emporia to take on Greensville County. In a schedule change, the junior varsity boys will tip off at 4:30 p.m. with the varsity girls and varsity boys to follow.