Posted 12:26 am Saturday, February 16, 2008
JT Girls Drop Heartbreaker In Area Play
By HAROLD WILSON
Staff Writer
EMORY - A day after getting gifts for love, John Tyler received a disheartening loss.
Staff Writer
EMORY - A day after getting gifts for love, John Tyler received a disheartening loss.
Erika Warren missed two free throws with 1.5 seconds left in regulation and the score tied, and JT allowed a five-point lead in overtime to slip away, as the Lady Lions fell to No. 12 Garland Naaman Forest 69-66 in a heart stopper Friday.
The sweet ending for Naaman Forest - the Lady Rangers caught a big break when a point JT scored in the second period never was awarded - placed them in the Sweet 16 after holding off the upset-minded Lady Lions in the area playoff at Rains High School.
Jasmine Godbolt, a 5-11 junior post, carried the Lady Rangers on her back, recording 27 points and 16 rebounds. Godbolt scored four buckets on putbacks, helping Naaman Forest win the battle of second-chance points (20-14).
Naaman Forest (27-6) trailed by 11 points in the first half and by five in the extra frame after Warren went coast-to-coast for a layup and free throw for the three-point play, making it 62-57 JT with 3:12 showing.
The Lady Rangers responded in quick fashion, getting back-to-back 3-pointers from Tiffany Halliway and Krystal Johnson to take back the lead for good.
After getting fouled with her team in the one-and-one situation, Johnson knocked down a pair of free throws to put Naaman Forest in front 69-66 with eight seconds left.
Warren dribbled downcourt, where she encountered a double team. Warren passed off to Jasmine Reeves, who failed to get a shot off before the horn sounded, setting off a celebration by the Naaman Forest student body.
"Our kids played well, but well just won't do it when you're playing No. (12)," said JT coach Kenneth Bickham. "I'm proud of the girls. We came here the underdog and we played with the best. We had several opportunities and we didn't capitalize. But that's part of basketball."
Following the close loss to a state-ranked team, JT wrapped up a successful season at 23-12.
The loss left JT wondering "what if" at the end. Warren, who finished with a game-high 28 points in the final game of a memorable high school career, went 10-for-12 at the line - her only two misfires coming with the game on the line.
Even after Warren's second miss, Reeves gathered the rebound but missed from six-feet away to send the game into overtime.
"When you're a good team you have to finish the game," Bickham said. "I had my best player at the line. We get one of those and we might go to the next round.
"We (also) had the mystery point... there were so many things that went against us and we hurt our own selves. It just wasn't meant to be."
In the first half JT never trailed, leading by as many as 11 before a controversy arose over a Lady Lion point that ended up being negated.
After an even first period, JT pulled away in the second after Godbolt tied it at 17 on a shot inside.
JT tallied the next 11 points to go ahead 28-17 following two buckets by Warren, one each from Brittany Bush and Reeves, and a pair of Kiundria Golden free throws. With JT seemingly ahead 32-20 following two Bush foul shots, the Lady Lions lost their composure while officials tried to determine the right score.
Naaman Forest finished the half on a 7-0 run to go into the break trailing only 31-27.
A 3-pointer by Ashley Wakefield midway through the third gave Naaman Forest its first lead of the game and JT chased for 12 straight minutes before Reeves's layup gave them a brief 57-55 advantage with 1:02 to go in regulation.
Just 11 seconds later, Halliway hit two foul shots to even the score.
The Lady Lions lose five seniors from their eight-man, wing-oriented playoff roster - Golden, Yarbre Harmon, Katie Bell Johnson, Reeves and Warren.
"We struggled last year and the one girl (Erika) scoring 22 points a game is leaving," Bickham said as he reflected on what's leaving and what's coming back.
"It's a tough loss. I hurt for the girls and I hurt as a coach. We've been playing good people but we can't get over the hump."
At Rains High School
No. 12 Garland Naaman Forest 69, John Tyler 66 (OT)
No. 12 Garland Naaman Forest 69, John Tyler 66 (OT)
John Tyler 16 15 11 15 9 66
Naaman Forest 15 12 20 10 12 69
Naaman Forest 15 12 20 10 12 69
JOHN TYLER - Kiundria Golden,11 ; Candace Black, 4; Jasmine Reeves, 7; Brittany Bush, 12; Erika Warren, 28; Yarbre Harmon, 4.
NAAMAN FOREST - Tiffany Halliway, 5; Ashley Wakefield, 10; Brittani Wilkins, 7; Jasmine Godbolt, 27; Krystal Johnson, 5; Alisha Allen, 15.
FIELD GOALS - JT: 23-53; GNF: 24-53. FREE THROWS - JT:
18-27; GNF: 17-23. REBOUNDS - JT: 33 (Bush 8); GNF: 32 (Godbolt 16). ASSISTS - JT: 12 (Warren 5); GNF: 9 (Wilkins 3).
THREE-POINT GOALS-JT: 2-10 (Warren 2) ; GNF: 4-13 (Wakefield 2, Halliway, Johnson.
RECORDS - John Tyler 23-12; Garland Naaman Forest 27-6.
NEXT UP - John Tyler's season complete; Garland Naaman Forest vs. Mesquite Horn-Plano West winner in regional quarterfinals.
