Charles City’s rally falls short as season ends at West Point
West Point's Chase Stewart splits the double team effort of Michael Callahan (13) and Thomas Kelly (15).Andre Jones photos
In the waning moments of the Conference 42 semifinal game, Charles City’s Panthers dwindled the top-seeded West Point Pointers’ lead down to a mere point with just under three minutes remaining in the Feb. 21 contest. Unfortunately for the visitors, late crucial turnovers paired with West Point finishing scores became too much to overcome.
The visiting Panthers saw their 2013-14 boys’ basketball season come to a close, falling to the Group 1A-eighth ranked West Point 74-67. It is the third time this year the Pointers have defeated the Panthers.
Early in the contest, both teams alternated leads. While the Panthers used balanced scoring, they could not stop 6’6” Travis Pitts, who scored 10 points in the opening frame to keep the hosts close. His stickback at the buzzer squeezed the Panthers lead to one point (17-16) transitioning into the second quarter.
Relying on senior starters, the Panthers managed the one-point lead and strategized to get Pitts out the game. Forward Gavin Cotman was able to draw a third foul on Pitts, sending him to the bench at the end of the second quarter. Despite Pitts’ absence, West Point held a 32-29 lead at the half.
With five minutes left in the third quarter, leading scorer Antonio Harris putback coupled with a free throw not only returned the lead to the Panthers (41-40), but sent Pitts to the bench with his fourth foul.
But a nightmare scenario emerged for the Panthers, similar to earlier matchups against the Pointers. West Point used the next two minutes and put on an offensive outburst, netting 13 points on five consecutive field goals and two free throws to give the hosts a 53-41 lead.
With the Pointers up by 11 (59-48) heading into the fourth quarter, Harris became more successful on offense for the underdog Panthers. Harris knocked down two free throws before converting a tip pass for a lay-up from teammate Craig McElroy to cut the lead to seven. A free throw from the senior scorer plus a McElroy up-and-under layup and two free throws from senior guard Treyvon Cotman culminated a 9-1 run for Charles City.
Up 61-57, the Pointers elected to take a timeout, but McElory’s lay-up cut the lead to two. After an Austin Mathews freebie bumped the lead back to three, McElroy hit a turnaround bucket to make the contest a one-point affair (62-61) with 2:55 remaining in the contest.
West Point stretched the lead back to five with a pair of free throws from Mathews and a Jeffery Guerrant close range basket, but Harris lay-up sliced the lead to three (68-65) with 1:13 remaining.
With West Point shooting poorly from the line for most of the game (20 for 43), the Panthers elected to intentionally foul the Pointers. Unfortunately for the visitors, West Point picked an opportune time to knock down the double-bonus opportunities, draining three in a row to increase the score by six (71-65). The hosts added a steal and lay-up with 22 seconds left in the game and the Panthers could not overcome the deficit as the final horn sounded.
In each of their regular season meetings, West Point used big runs in the second quarter with the Panthers unable to recover. That point was emphasized by Panther head coach Aaron Dodge tonight.
“Tonight, we gave up too many second chance shots,” said Dodge. “They made that run and that was a difference maker.
“When we battled back and got it to one, they were able to get those opportunities to score again,” continued the disappointed coach. “We had turnovers at crucial moments in the game and they were from simple things such as the ball slipping through our hands or letting the ball go out-of-bounds.
Despite the loss, Dodge commented on the contest and the competitiveness between the two familiar foes.
“Tonight, it was a tough battle on both sides and we both had players in foul trouble,” Dodge continued. “They adjusted to our offensive plan and they attacked us by driving to the basket. We had no trouble executing our offense, but we just came up short.”
Charles City (9-14) now turns to the future. The Panthers graduate four seniors, include top scorer Harris, who pumped in 27 points to close out his high school career.
“These guys [returning next season] have to play in the offseason,” continued the head coach. “They have to lift weights, do other sports, and keep thinking positive things.
“We have a good nucleus coming back,” added Dodge, pointing to the team’s 7-2 finish. “Nobody but West Point beat us twice this season. Next year, we have to start off the season better.”
Joining Harris in double figures were Treyvon Cotman with 13 and McElroy with 17. Senior teammate Gavin Cotman scored nine, Thomas Kelly tossed in four, and Michael Callahan scored three.
West Point (19-4) placed four players in double figures, led by Mathews’ 20.
Charles City’s Antonio Harris rejects the shot attempt of West Point’s Corey Smith.