- Thanks for joining us from Greenville and Minges Coliseum for the East Regional semifinal between Panther Creek and Jack Britt.
- For those of you wondering if Earnest Ross, Brandon Oliver or Karim Sako would be available for this game, that answer is no. None of them are dressed and warming up with the team. About 9:30 till tip.
- Jack Britt brought a pretty good crowd. Just a little more than PC did. And Britt has some big-time money in their basketball program. The warm-ups have names and the parents have personalized jerseys.
- Mike Hood hits an early 3 to take the 3-2 lead. 6:25 left in the first.
- With 4:30 left, it's PC up 7-6.
- Marques Oliver has been in a funk recently with his free throws. He makes 1-of-2 and PC is down 12-8. 3 min to go in the first.
- Jack Britt leads after one, thanks to supreme shooting from Devin Thomspon (3-of-5) and Kevin Bobson (3-of-3 from three). PC is down 19-8 at the end of the first.
- Marques Oliver gets an old-fashioned 3-pt play and the Cats are now down 19-11 with 6 min to play.
- Don't look now but it's 19-17 Jack Britt with 3:57 to play in the second! Marques Oliver has 7 points this quarter and Jack Britt has done nothing offensively but miss two free throws.
- AND IT'S TIED WITH 1:29 LEFT IN THE SECOND! Javonte Rankin's 3-pointer forces Jack Britt to take a quick T.O. He and Mike Hood both have 3's in this quarter and Marques Oliver has gotten busy in the quarter with 9 points.
- It's no halftime. PC's Oliver (the one that's not suspended) gets 1-of-2 from the line for his tenth point of the quarter and brings the Cats to down by one possession at the half. PC might even be up were it not for Britt's Thompson, who is 5-of-8 shooting and has 10 points. Bobson has been just as good for the Bucs, as he is 3-of-4 from the field for 11 points.
- Leading the way for PC is Oliver, obviously. He has 11 points, while Hood has added eight.
- Xavier Nixon has gotten going for Britt, and PC has had shots rolling out of the rim. Britt up 37-30 after three.
- Oh my. Nixon has scored the last 7 points and Britt has used a 9-0 run to go up 42-30 with 1:42 left in the third. If PC can't get some interior defense and make some shots quick, the hourglass of their season could be running out.
- Going into the 4th, it's 44-33 Jack Britt. Aaron Toney is playing with four fouls for Panther Creek , and the Catamounts will need to forge a huge comeback to win this one.
- Theme of the night: after forcing a turnover into a 3-on-1 situation, Isaiah Johnson blows the layup. A lot of guys have shot this quarter for PC, but not one of them is Marques Oliver. 44-33 still, 6:33 to play.
- Oliver and Johnson both hit, but Britt's Jamil Barney hits two free throws and it's 46-37 with 5:32 to go.
- Toney fouls out with 3:49 to go and it's a 10-point game. Britt leads 50-40 with Nixon going to the line.
- Nixon misses the first of a one-and-one, and Oliver responds on the other end by dunking all over a Britt defender. 50-42 with 3:37 to play.
- It's not over, but it's getting there. 56-42 with under two minutes to play. PC's season is coming to an end, folks.
- It's over. 60-44, Jack Britt wins. The Catamounts shot 31% from the field and 17% from three. That won't win a lot of games.
Comments
Coach Hepp and others should
Wed, 03/04/2009 - 00:58 — tanntamountCoach Hepp and others should have done a better job of protecting their players. Now those players have to "reap" the consequences because they were unsupervised.
as somebody said tonight
Wed, 03/04/2009 - 01:21 — jmikeblake (author)"you can't stop stupid, but you sure can punish it"
The more I learn about what really happened, it seems like something that coaches shouldn't have to prepare for (or be on the look out for) and something players shouldn't seek out doing either. To continue to blame coach Hepp for this and that is getting ridiculous.
Daily Schedule: Mar. 3
Tue, 03/03/2009 - 22:59 — freddie15Daily Schedule:
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Shorthanded Panther Creek pulls out last-second win
Panther Creek Basketball Logo - Generic Graphic
Stats: Southern Durham at Panther Creek February 27, 2009
Panther Creek plays without 2 starters, 1 reserve
Statewide Scoreboard: Feb. 27
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Share: By Nick Stevens, HighSchoolOT.com
Feb 28, 2009
CARY — Panther Creek was shorthanded Friday for the N.C. High School Athletic Association section final game with Southern Durham, but the Catamounts managed to end the Spartans' Cinderella run, 68-64.
Panther Creek led by as much as 14 in the first half, and they led 32-24 and the break, but Southern Durham chipped away through the third quarter.
David Jordan hit a 2-pointer in the first minute of the second half for the Spartans, cutting the Catamounts' lead to six, but Mike Hood responded with a 3-pointer for Panther Creek.
Hood had a career night Friday, scoring 29 points with starters Earnest Ross and Brandon Oliver and reserve Karim Sako out on suspension, but when the media approached him after the game about his performance, he said he had "no comment."
"It was kind of like, Southern would make a run, and Mike Hood would make a run to answer them," Panther Creek head coach L.J. Hepp said. "We're just thrilled for him."
Southern Durham finished tied for fifth in the PAC 6 Conference this season, and they went into their conference tournament having to win it to make the playoffs.
The Spartans defeated No. 8 East Chapel Hill in the tournament final to advance to the NCHSAA playoffs where they defeated Broughton 59-57 in the first round, then came back from a 22 point deficit to beat Garner, 81-78.
Continuing their post season resiliency, every time Panther Creek scored, Southern had an answer - and the answer usually came from Geoff Hunter.
Hunter scored six points in the first four minutes of the third quarter to keep the Spartans in the game, but at the 4:21 mark Panther Creek's lead had been extended to 11 points, and the Catamounts seemed to be pulling away.
However, following a Panther Creek turnover, Reese Wiggins hit a 3-pointer to put Southern back in the game. The Spartans' defense held Panther Creek to just two points over more than two minutes in the third quarter, allowing Southern to make a run.
A 3-pointer by William Rollack with five seconds left cut Panther Creek's lead to one point headed into the final quarter.
On their first possession of the fourth quarter, Southern Durham took their first lead of the game. Hunter, who had 20 points Friday, scored a short jump shot to put Southern on top, 52-51.
There were seven lead changes and two ties in the fourth quarter, and the game came down to the last few seconds.
Southern Durham led Panther Creek 64-63 with one minute left, but after Isaiah Johnson stole the ball from Southern, the Spartans fouled Tyler Gattis, sending him to the free throw line to shoot two shots.
Gattis missed the first shot, then missed the second but the official called Southern for a lane violation, giving Gattis another chance to tie the game. The senior converted to tie the game at 64-64 with 51 seconds left, and Panther Creek never trailed again.
Southern tried to hold the ball for the last shot, spreading the court and attempting to spread out the Panther Creek defense.
Panther Creek forced Jordan to pick up his dribble at half court, and under the pressure of the Catamounts' trap, he was called for over and back with 13.6 seconds left, turning the ball over to Panther Creek.
With three seconds left on the clock, Oliver drove from the point to the basket, laid the ball up on the backboard, got fouled, and went to the line to try for an and-one.
Panther Creek already led 66-64 with 1.6 seconds left when Southern Durham coach Art Richmond was called for a technical foul.
Oliver missed his free throw, but T.J. Fitzmaurice hit both technical foul shots, and Panther Creek got possession to run out the clock and advance to the NCHSAA's 4-A Eastern Regional.
"A couple bad calls on the floor, and that changed the ball game," Richmond said after his team's loss. "You should never be able to control the ball game that way."
Hepp said his team is excited to be heading to Greenville.
"I knew this team should have a shot to get this far, I didn't expect it to happen, but I thought it might," Hepp said.
Panther Creek will play again on Tuesday night at Minges Coliseum on the campus of East Carolina University in Greenville. The time and opponent will be announced Saturday.
COMMENTS
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Ha, the Southern coach is complaining about officiating? Southern wouldn't have even been in the game if it wasn't for poor officiating. They were lucky to lose by 4 especially with Brandon and E.J out.
leaderofthepack
February 28, 2009 10:05 a.m.
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Hmmmm..wonder if the NCHSAA is going to fine this one? Was there ever a fine over the one during football season (Hillside) or is the NCHSAA just picking and choosing which rules to uphold?
oldtimecoach
February 28, 2009 8:15 p.m.
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I have GOT to disagree with "yoltfortomorrow" on this one. If Hepp was going to let Ross off the hook he would've let him play against SD. He took his chances and nearly lost. It's great that a guy can do the right thing and still be a winner.
Also, last I checked, Sako was the first big man off the bench.
And lastly, if you have Earnest Ross on the team, then WHO THE HE*L WOULD YOU BUILD YOUR TEAM AROUND!!?? Was Kushner wrong for building MC around Garrius Adams and Tom Tankelewicz??
Hood WAS the 2nd best player, and he's used now like the Spurs use Manu Ginobili. cleary he's a starter in talent, and he comes off the bench so the team won't get weaker. Now other have passed him in talent (where was Marques Oliver or Aaron Toney two years ago? - that's right, scoring like 6 ppg). And who are you trying to provoke stuff anyway?! The team seems just fine winning 25 games together.
AlleyOops
February 28, 2009 9:35 p.m.
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woah, where did that guy's post go??
Oh, and "oldtimecoach," I think the SD guy should be fined and will be fined. The Hillside guy, on the other hand, wasn't fined because the NCHSAA agreed with him that the refs screwed up. That was the right decidison
AlleyOops
February 28, 2009 9:39 p.m.
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Hepp didn't play the players because the were not even allowed in the gym. I guess everyone doesn't know what they did. Why didn't Hepp use Fitz. He use to be a starter but because of Hepp he sits. Fitz was always a starter on every team he played. Hepp couldn't wait to get him on the team, just to keep the seats warm.
edonmoore
February 28, 2009 11:08 p.m.
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What did they do?
Tawny
March 3, 2009 1:21 p.m.
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Apparently my post was deleted. AlleyOops, I'm sorry if I offended you in anyway, I was trying to provoke anything. I've had a 1st hand look at this team over the last few years and I'm appalled by some of the things I've seen. I know EJ is a great player, one of the best in the state, and I'm not saying they shouldn't have built the team around him, but in the process Hepp completely igonored multiple other players. For an example look at what "edonmoore" posted. I know who 'Fitz' is and he was an all conference player where he used to be. Hepp started him earlier this year, he played well, but was basically benched for no reason. The minute you out live your usefulness to Hepp he stops caring about you. Middle Creek built their team around 2 players, but with PC it was the Earnest Ross show and then everyone else was picking up any garbage he had left. Marques Oliver was a huge surprise this year, and in my opinion is the best player on the team because he isn't selfish.
yoltfortomorrow
March 3, 2009 8:31 p.m.
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Also Sako may have been the first man off the bench, but does that really mean he was that good? I don't want to bash the guy, but he wasn't anywhere close to the 6th, 7th or 8th best man on that team. Ask anyone who reguarly watched Panther Creek games and they'll tell you about how well Sako played.
It wasn't Hepp who made it so they couldn't play. The principal, Nelson, suspended them from school. EJ was threatening to leave PC his Soph. year after Hepp didn't start him to punish him one game so Hepp caved and let him run the team from then on out. I bet you that Hepp would've let them play tonight if he could have. They legally could not play or attend a school function since they were suspended. They couldn't play tonight, and I'm almost sad that they lost because most of the other guys on the team who played tonight deserved to win. They didn't go harass some little Freshman.
yoltfortomorrow
March 3, 2009 8:39 p.m.
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Voices
Tim Candon
Enloe, Panther Creek facing big disadvantage
Tim Candon
Speak at the Creek
More Voices
WHY ISN'T FITZ
Tue, 03/03/2009 - 19:52 — freddie15WHY ISN'T FITZ PLAYING??????????????????
no offense to T.J.
Tue, 03/03/2009 - 20:54 — jmikeblake (author)or you for that matter, but him not playing didn't lose PC the game. He has stepped up big for them in certain games this year but tonight wasn't his night (shot 0-for-5 in his 7 minutes of play).
HEPP HAS PLAYED HEAD GAMES
Tue, 03/03/2009 - 22:09 — freddie15HEPP HAS PLAYED HEAD GAMES WITH FITZ ALL YEAR. HE PUTS HIM FOR ONE MINUTE AND NO MATTER WHAT HE DID OUT HE CAME. FITZ JUST COULDN'T GET USE TO NOT PLAYING. THIS WAS HIS WORSE YEAR OF BASKETBALL THANKS TO HEPP. HE COULDN'T WAIT TO GET FITZ FOR BASKETBALL BUT I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW YOU GO FROM STARTING TO SITTING THE WHOLE GAME. THE TEAM WOULD SAY THE SAME THING. HE REALLY IS A GREAT PLAYER. HE BROKE RECORDS AT ONE OF THE SCHOOLS HE PLAYED FOR IN N.C. THANKS
sometimes that's how it is freddie15...
Wed, 03/04/2009 - 01:41 — jmikeblake (author)I was once in Fitz's place.
The first game of my senior year I led our team in 3-pointers made (2-of-2 and man were they beautiful). I didn't play the next two games. It was frustrating, but I kept my head up even as I sat on the bench when we struggled with a 2-3 zone for a whole game, knowing I could shoot them out of it. I kept my head up when I was one of the first guys in off the bench too, or ran with the first team in practice. I just had to be positive and contribute when the time called for it, and hopefully it gave us a win. That's what a true teammate does, and that's why my teammates unanimously voted me "best teammate" after the year.
But like Fitz, I was on a guard-heavy team. This year PC had Earnest Ross, Mike Hood, Isaiah Johnson, Johvonte Rankin, Tyler Gattis and Brandon Oliver. Each guy brought something different on the court, so different games called for different guard personnel.
It's easy to get buried behind those guys depending on the game, and since this year's team finished an incredible 28-3, there's not much room left to argue why Hepp subbed the way he did. His way worked, just like coach Mel Hankinson's worked when we went 18-6 my senior year.
And the one thing I will remember from that year was not how little I played, or anything like that. I'll remember how it ended with a bitter defeat in the playoffs as we played without our best player, who was kicked off the team prior to our first round game. Sound familiar?
It's not coach Hepp you need to be upset with for this year not going to plan, just as I have no hard feelings for coach Hank, who still is a great guy to be around. No, point the fingers elsewhere.