By Tim Branstetter / Staff Writer
The South Laurel Cardinals were forced to play without Matt St. John (ankle injury) and without their head coach, Steve Wright, on the sideline (two-game suspension), but managed to rally behind assistant coach Brad Sizemore and a last second jumper by Matt Watkins to defeat Williamsburg 72-70.
Sizemore admitted he was nervous going into the game without Wright by his side.
“I was so nervous,” he said. “I didn’t know what to do. I talked with coach Wright all day about it. The boys really packed me through it though. Hopefully this will help me for Tuesday’s game.”
The Yellow Jackets stepped up early in overtime and grabbed a 68-64 lead with just over a minute remaining, but Matt Gilbert knocked down a jumper and Tyler Huff nailed two free throws to tie the game at 68-68 with :40 remaining.
Jeff Hale gave the Cardinals their first lead in overtime on an assist by Huff for a 70-68 advantage with :20 remaining.
Corey Fleenor tied the game for Williamsburg with :10 remaining, but the Cardinals raced down the floor, found Watkins and he calmly swished a 15-footer to give South Laurel the victory. Watkins finished with 23 points on the night.
Williamsburg coach Patrick Robinson took the loss in stride.
“It’s not hard to see a kid make a play like that at the end of the game,” he said. “It was a great play. I just wish it was one of our kids that made it, but it wasn’t.”
The Cardinals were forced to go with a much smaller lineup without their big man St. John, but were able to use their speed to grab an early 14-4 advantage.
“We pretty much started five guards,” Sizemore said. “We had to use our speed and quickness to force turnovers, but then we also gave up some easy baskets.”
The Yellow Jackets came swarming back with seven points from CeJay Jones for a 13-2 run that gave them the lead at 17-16 with 1:14 remaining in the first quarter. Gilbert regained the lead for the Cardinals at 19-17 on a three-pointer to end the quarter. Gilbert finished with 16 points on the night.
The second quarter saw six lead changes as South Laurel took a five point advantage to end the first half leading 35-30.
Huff led the way for the Cardinals with six points in the second quarter. He finished with 12 points on the night.
Daniel Pettit stepped up early in the third quarter with six unanswered points to give Williamsburg a 36-35 lead with 5:41 remaining in the quarter. Pettit finished with 20 points on the night.
With the score tied at 45-45 to start the fourth quarter, the Cardinals knocked down two three-pointers. The first by Dillon Tabor and the second one by Hale for a 51-49 lead with 6:08 remaining. There were five lead changes in the fourth quarter.
With :40 remaining and the Yellow Jackets trailing 60-54, Pettit took over and scored six straight points to close the gap at 62-60 with :16 remaining. Watkins hit a free throw to give the Cardinals a three point lead with :11 on the clock, but Jared Barton was able to extend the game with a three-pointer for Williamsburg at the buzzer.
The Cardinals will face Clinton County on Tuesday – without Wright.
