Published: December 29, 2007 11:17 pm      

Bobcats survive scare from Hubbard to win boys title

Kerens claimed another Kiwanis Classic title, but not without a fight.

The Bobcats got six points in the final two minutes from Pat Faulk and fended off a Jaguars run to claim a 66-65 victory at the K. and Ida Wolens Center.

Hubbard (11-5) had one final attempt to win, but reigning Golden Circle MVP Carlos Johnson’s desperation three-pointer fell short.

Down by the final margin, the Jaguars got the ball back with 12 seconds left called a timeout with 7.6 ticks left, then another with 1.1. That forced the heave from Johnson from about six feet behind the arc.

“We expected to win,” Hubbard coach Ronnie Striplin said. “… Overall, we played well, but we made some silly mistakes and I made a coaching error at the end.

“I called that (last) timeout too late.”

Kerens, meanwhile, and first-year coach Don Enis led the entire game until Hubbard went ahead 60-58 with 3:50 left. The Bobcats (9-5) then clawed their way back to give Enis – a former Dawson coach – a Kiwanis title.

Kerens was down 62-58 when game-high scorer and all-tournament pick Jody Gorden hit two free throws, followed by a Faulk layup to tie it.

Twenty second later, Faulk drained a three-pointer to make it 65-62 with 1:40 left.

Down 65-63, Johnson – held to one point in the first half – hit two free throws to tie it with 13.8 seconds left.

Faulk was fouled on a touch foul after the inbound, and hit the back end of two shots to put the Bobcats ahead, and set up the last-second dramatics.

“They were really backing us back early when we tried to press them,” Enis said. “We settled into a zone and that helped us. They made a lot of free throws too, and that hurt us, but we made them when they counted.”

Terrence Sayles had 12 points and 12 rebounds in the title game and was named MVP, joined on the all-tournament team by Faulk and Gorden. Faulk had 14 of his 16 points in the second half.

Johnson ended the night with 10 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks but didn’t get his first field goal until 30 seconds left in the third, getting Hubbard to within 51-49 after Kerens led by as many as 11 in the period. All-tournament picks Stephen Chapman and Lorenzo Simmons led Hubbard with 15 and 17 points, respectively.

In the third, the Bobcats committed eight turnovers after making only four in the first half.

Kerens led 41-33 at the half after Lee canned his fourth three-pointer of the first half at the buzzer, giving the Bobcats their largest lead of the game to that point. Hubbard never led in the first 16 minutes, and managed to keep it to within four or five points despite the fact Johnson was held to a free throw.

The Jaguars were strong in the paint, taking high-percentage shots while going 9 of 11 from the field in the second quarter. Chapman had 12 in the first half, while Josh Chatman had eight. They got to within 27-25 with 4:32 to go in the half after a Neshaune Taylor layup.

Kerens went on a 10-6 run over the final 3:15, getting a Gorden three-pointer along with Lee’s. Cameron Betts made it 36-30 with 1:35 left when he split three Jaguars for a dramatic layup.



Hubbard 13 20 16 16 65

Kerens 19 22 12 13 66



Hubbard: Andrew Thompson, 1; Lorenzo Simmons, 17; Josh Chatman, 10; Stephen Chapman, 15; Jermichael Jordan, 2; Neshaune Taylor, 10; Carlos Johnson, 10.

Kerens: Terrence Sayles 12, Derrick Polk 2, Cameron Betts 4, Edward Lee 12, Pat Faulk, 16; Jody Gorden, 17; Justin Brooks, 3.

3-pointers: H: Chapman. K: Lee (4), Faulk, Gorden (2), Brooks.