Basketball sponsored by cheers sports
By: Dan Sousa
Leesburg (Jan. 17, 2008) – Loudoun County High School junior Timmy McLister made two free throws with 13.2 seconds left Wednesday to give the Raiders a thrilling 76-75 win at Heritage and create a four-way tie for first place at the midway mark in the AA Dulles District boys basketball season.
Donne Lucas scored a game-high 28 points for the Raiders as they ended a seven-game losing streak against their Leesburg neighbors and won for the first time against Heritage since the 2003-04 season. Loudoun County (5-2, 12-3), Heritage (5-2, 7-6), Park View (5-2, 9-4) and Potomac Falls (5-2, 8-5) are all tied for first in the Dulles District.
“He’s a gamer and he’s tough as nails and that is who you want on the line at the end of the game,” said Loudoun County coach Brian Blubaugh of McLister.
Heritage, which led by eight points early in the third quarter, called time out just prior to McLister shooting his 1-and-1 opportunity. With both student sections packed Wednesday, the noise in the Pride gym was deafening.
“I couldn’t hear myself … I couldn’t hear coach,” said McLister, who had the first shot rattle around before dropping in. “I almost fell to my knees.”
The second shot hit nothing but net and LC was ahead by a point.
“This is the biggest moment I’ve ever had in basketball,” said McLister.
Unfortunately for Heritage, Pride point guard Chris Broderick, who had a team-high 18 and probably accounted for another 18 on his great passing and penetration, fouled out of the game on the play that sent McLister to the line. Heritage got off a rushed shot in the corner and LC grabbed the rebound near the baseline and the clocked counted down to 0:00 … setting off a wild celebration of Raider players and coaches, not to mention part of the “Raider Riot” student section stormed the floor.
Only the officiating crew said that the LC player had stepped out of bounds and they put half a second (0:00.5) back on the clock and the Pride had a final chance and it was a good chance considering the time they had to work with as Preston Findley was able to catch and shoot a shot just outside of the block but it didn’t go in at the “final” buzzer.
“I thought 1972 Olympics,” said Blubaugh after the game when asked of his opinion of the extra time being put back on the clock.
The game was intense from the start with both squads applying nearly full court pressure. Both Broderick and LC point guard Joe Bushrod were “marked men” as they dribbled up the court.
Heritage was hot from the floor in the first half, sinking six 3-pointers including three from junior Steven Shockley off the bench and three more from Findley. Both players finished with 13, but only two points each after the break.
Lucas, meanwhile, was a force inside, either posting up or cleaning up the boards, scoring 14 in each half. The Raiders had a scary moment when Lucas tweaked something on his leg and he came out briefly in the fourth quarter.
“I just knew I had to get back in the game, somehow, someway,” said Lucas.
It was second and event third efforts by Lucas and Raider junior Rick Cottom (11 points, eight rebounds) that helped the Raiders erase the 8-point deficit in the third quarter (they trailed 48-40 at one point) and take a six-point lead at 72-66 with 2:35 remaining.
“They killed us on the boards,” said Heritage coach Mark Mallisham.
Mallisham was impressed that his team fought back from the six-point hole in the final two minutes.
“I’m proud of the kids and the way they scrapped back. They didn’t give up,” said Mallisham. ‘They was a great high school basketball environment tonight. Both teams played with passion and class.”
Broderick, almost wiling his team back, drove in to cut the lead to four and then after a Raider turnover, Shockley hit a floater over Lucas to make it 72-70 with 1:48 still left.
Raider junior Brett Tagg, who had 15 points in the game, came right back and hit a floater by the free throw line to make it 74-70 with 1:37 left.
On the other end, Heritage was hit with an illegal screen and turned the ball over on the foul call, but Bushrod on the other end, fouled out on a charge call that didn’t look any different than about a dozen other trips down the floor in the game with a lot of contact and multiple loose ball scrambles.
Heritage missed an opportunity to tie with two free throws off the mark with 1:07 to play but with Bushrod on the bench, the Pride swarmed LC and forced a turnover and Broderick pulled up and hit a deep 3-pointer to make it 74-73 with 30 seconds left. Broderick’s clutch shot, sent the Pride’s “Chaos Crew” student section into … well, chaos!
LC dodged a turnover with a time out call while a player fell out of bounds but after the time out, the Pride forced yet another turnover and Broderick drove it all the way to the basket for an easy layin and a 75-74 Heritage lead with just 19.2 seconds left.
McLister was driving up the court to answer when Broderick reach around and poked the ball away. It was identical to a turnover he had created on the previous play, only this time he was whistled for his fifth and final foul and McLister was sent to the line for his game-tying and game-winning attempts.
The shot from McLister bounced around and kicked in.
“That first one scared me to death,” said Lucas. “This is our first time beating Heritage in the battle of Leesburg.”
When it was all said and done, after the second final buzzer, LC assistant coach Mark Alexander put Blubaugh into a near headlock in celebration and the “Raider Riot” chanted “This is Our House” as they left the gym.
LC 76, Heritage 75
LC (5-2, 12-3): Tagg 15, Bushrod 4, McLister 10, Lucas 28, Cottom 11, Fletcher 3, Lane 5. Totals 30 9-14 76.
H (5-2, 7-6): Broderick 18, Massey 15, Findley 13, Shockley 13, Rustin 7, Nelson 4, Peters 3, Tibbs 2. Totals 30 7-13 75.
Halftime: Heritage, 40-38.
3-Point Goals: LC 7 (Tagg 3, McLister 2, Bushrod, Lane). Heritage 8 (Findley 3, Shockley 3, Broderick, Peters).
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