A long, drawn-out discussion over one basket went in favor of the Houston County High Bears Tuesday … or did it?
After Jalani Phillips was finally awarded a game-tying dunk for Houston in the second quarter, Coffee County High ended the quarter on a 9-2 run. The visiting Trojans from Douglas never looked back and won 57-44 at the Bear Den. It was a loss that ended a streak of three wins in a row for Jody Dean’s club and dropped it to 2-1 in Region 1-AAAAA (4-9 overall).
Phillips, in the second quarter, caught a lob pass and slammed it through, and as he did a referee’s whistle blew. The official gave the signal of a personal foul, and then engaged in discussion with the other referees and the official scorers. One official gave the signal for a 3-point basket, which brought on more debate between the referees and coaches Dean and Wade Hughes of Coffee County.
Finally, Houston got two points out of the deal (as it turns out, the original whistle was in anticipation of basket interference, thinking the lob pass was instead a 3-point attempt) and tied the game 15-15.
But it was all Coffee afterwards with the 9-2 run, which included a dunk for the Trojans off a Bear turnover, and 24-17 lead at halftime.
Houston County got as close as three (33-30) in the third quarter behind Roger Stanton, who made a 3-pointer after a block and scored off his own steal. Coffee answered with six points off second shots in the period, and while the Bears grabbed several offensive boards themselves, they missed about five lay-ups late.
The Trojans led 42-32 going into the fourth and did just enough – especially on breakaways – to squash any little runs by the Bears. Jarrid Nunn of Houston scored on a long outlet from Stanton to cap a 5-0 run (45-39). Rico Anderson also scored on a steal to cut it to five (47-42), but his team had the same problem with inside shots as in the third.
The Bears led 10-8 after the first quarter with a 3-pointer coming from Vince Stewart. Coffee led for the first time, 13-10, two minutes into the second off a Bear turnover. Anderson would tie the game 13-13 on a 3 at 4:25.
Stanton finished the game with nine points, seven coming in the second half. Geo Stotts had eight points, but no field goals after the first quarter.
COFFEE GIRLS 69, HOUSTON CO. 54
The Houston County High Lady Bears had their problems with turnovers Tuesday, and it led to their second loss in Region 1-AAAAA against one win. Coffee County High’s girls didn’t press much, didn’t double team the ball and certainly didn’t have any height advantages, but still gave the Houston girls and All-State forward Tonia Williams fits in their home gym.
Williams had 22 points and four steals (three in the first half), but was off in her outside shooting game despite a 3-pointer made from a corner in the first quarter. Jayde Sparks, a freshman, had 12 points, eight in the first half. She converted two assists by Williams in two of four lead changes in the opening period.
Coffee, despite being outsized, scored four second-chance points in the quarter to lead 20-15. As far as turnovers, the Lady Trojans would score 15 points after takeaways for the entire first half. Seven of those points came consecutively to put the visitors ahead 30-17.
Houston had just one stick-back in the half, that coming from senior Janesa Johnson. Coffee ended the half putting back its own miss and led 38-25 at the half.
The visitors also bettered Houston from the outside with five 3-pointers made from the second period on. Johnson had two assists in the third period, but her team still trailed big, 51-37, with eight minutes left.
Williams ended her team’s struggles in the post to start the fourth, but Coffee answered with its fifth put-back plus a foul (54-39). The Lady Bears got as close as eight, 59-51, on a Johnson three-point play, but Coffee made six foul shots in the last three minutes to seal it.
