Leesville Road boys basketball
Leesville's Quinton Marshall (left) scored eight points in Tuesday's game against Green Hope.
Pride comeback falls short17-3 rally pulls Leesville Road back into contest late
Midway through the fourth quarter of Tuesday's contest with Green Hope, the Leesville Road boys basketball team didn't appear on the verge of a remarkable comeback.
Trailing the Falcons by 15 points — Green Hope held a double-digit lead much of the game — the Pride just didn't look to have a turnaround in them.
But Grayson Hawkins three-pointer with five minutes to play was matched by Quinton Marshall one possession later, igniting a 17-3 rally which burned until the final seconds of the game.
Unfortunately for the Pride, the deficit was too much to overcome as Green Hope prevailed 70-66.
Click here for highlights from the Leesville Road/Green Hope basketball game.
"We dug a big hole. We tried like crazy at the end. But it was a tall task that we left for ourselves," said Pride head coach Roderic Brewington, following game.
"We didn't play particularly well, but I'm proud of my guys because they tried hard."
Green Hope's Max Povse, who stands 6-foot-8, posed the Pride its biggest problem, dropping in 25 points, including the first nine points of the fourth quarter.
Chris Flemmings tacked on 13 points for the Falcons.
"I thought they shot very well as a team," Brewington said of Green Hope. "I asked myself late, 'Are they shooting well or are we playing bad defense?' But they definitely shot well.
"And (Povse) is a very good finisher."
Green Hope set the tone early, using a 12-6 run to close out the first quarter, and taking a 18-12 lead. Dillion Smith kept the Pride close hitting a three, and scoring five of his 10 points in the first.
Flemmings and Leesville's Shyheid Petteway traded three-pointers to start the second quarter, the Falcons pushed their lead to 32-19 with a 9-0 run, capped by Brian Rauf's triple.
Troy Williamson hit a trey with a minute remaining, but the Pride couldn't keep pace, falling behind 36-27 at the half.
Brewington later explained he implored his team to keep fighting.
"I told them that all good teams get down at some points, and that they shouldn't give up," he said.
However, his message didn't sink in immediately as the Falcons expanded their advantage to 10 points in the third, taking a 49-39 lead into the final quarter.
And Green Hope left the period in style, scoring a lay-up as the buzzer signaled.
The stage was set though for a Leesville rally, and following Hawkins and Marshall's threes, the rest of the team got in the act, helping the Pride to 27 points in the fourth.
Chandler Hawkins's lay-up and a tip-in during the comeback, and Williamson hit a mid-range jumper, and most likely the game's biggest shot, a three with 12 seconds remaining.
Williamson's clutch trey with a man in his face, pulled the Pride within one point, 67-66.
Ina Obasi (left) drives toward the basket during second-half action against Green Hope.
Alas, it was the last points Leesville scored as the Falcons converted from the line and scored a four-point win.
Brewington explained the Pride couldn't have asked for a better opportunity late, getting possession down 68-66, but the Pride turned the ball over before it could get off a shot.
"You never want to lose, and we would have loved to write the story where we hit the shot to win it, and learn our lesson that way," he said. "But nevertheless, we were down and fought back and had the ball. Just one more miracle, and we pull it off.
"It's something to build upon and learn from. I think it will pay off later."
Chandler Hawkins scored a team-high 13 points, Williamson added 10 and Marshall and Petteway finished with eight and seven points, respectively.
The Pride's even scoring is something Brewington expects from this year's squad.
"We had Harrison George, the conference player of the year, last year, but we really don't have that superstar this season," the coach said. "But everybody can chip in on this team, and we use them all confidently. There is no guy on this team that I don't have confidence in."
Case in point: during the Pride's pivotal fourth-quarter run, seven different players scored.
Tuesday's contest was the second time the Pride faced Green Hope this year. Leesville got the better of the Falcons, winning 65-46.
Ironically, Brewington said he thought his relatively inexperienced squad played more relaxed on the road than at home.
"I could see the pressure affecting them during the game, and believe it or not, I think they were cooler on the road," he pointed out. "I think the pressure of home crowd. Eventually, I think we relaxed, but it was too late."
The Pride return to action at Panther Creek Monday, Nov. 30, and host Durham Riverside Tuesday, Dec. 1.
