Bellaire routes Morton Ranch in opening nightcap
Aldine – Point guard Dedrick Basile sang two game deciding free throws with 9.8 seconds left to help Madison hold off Strake Jesuit, 61-59 on Monday in the opening round of the Boys Basketball Region III-5A playoffs at the Campbell Center.
Basile, a two-year starter, stood at the free throw line as relaxed as a springbreak vacation day. He calmly prepared his shooting motion before draining nothing but the bottom of the net, giving Madison a 61-57 lead with 9.8 seconds left.
The victory sends Madison to the Area round of the playoffs where it will face the winner of Cy-Lakes/Elsik, Friday at a time and site to be determined.
“We tell our guys, there is no guarantee of anything in the playoffs. I told them we have only one playoff game and if you win, we have another one. Our game plan was to speed them up because we know they like to play at a slower pace. That really helped us,” Madison coach Craig Maura said.
The Marlins (21-10, 9-3) led by two-points entering the fourth quarter and by nine, 53-44 with 5:26 left. But without hesitation, Strake posted a furious comeback, as point guard Trey Young sprinted down the court and fed Hunter Thompson a perfect no-look pass for a closing basket. Reveal Chekwujekwu added a mid-range jumper, cutting Madison lead, 53-48.
Basile led four Marlins in double figures with 19 points, Harris chipped in 14 with 13 rebounds and six blocks, Collins added 12 and Franklin scored 10.
Chekwujekwu who was uncontainable, scored 12 of his game high 22 points in the fourth quarter and pulled the lions within one, 55-54 with 1:48 left. He only scored a point in the first half.
Livit and Thompson followed with 10 points each, behind Chekwujekwu’s performance.
After firing blanks a few times down the court, the Marlins timing never fail them, coming up with a basket when it needed.
Moments later, Chekwujekwu missed an opportunity to tie the game at 56, when his second of two free throws rimmed out, leaving Madison’s forward Jonathan Franklin with the lose rebound as he was fouled. Franklin connected on one-of-two free throws to give Madison a 57-55 lead.
From there, Devon Collins, Chris Harris and Basile combined on 4-of-6 from the free throw line to ice the victory.
“We were down ten to start the third quarter and we fought back to tie it. “They made plays (Madison) at the end of the quarter to win. They did a hell of a job. Basile was the guy we didn’t want to foul, but he made both free throws. I thought it should have been a foul on their center Harris, before Basile got the ball in his hands,” said Strake Jesuit’s Coach Dominic Amorosa.
The Marlins used Strake’s cold shooting to build a ten-point lead late in the second quarter.
Leading 16-12 after one quarter, Basile had a hand in six points to begin the second quarter. One resulted in a dish-pass to Harris, who laid it up and in. After Strake’s Dylan Livit’s layup, Basile quickly took advantage of back-to-back fast break layups to give the Marlins a 22-14 lead with 7:02 left.
Strake (19-13, 11-3) fought a downhill battle in the quarter. It scored, however, couldn’t stop the speedy Marlins who set the tempo, making it play faster than it wanted.
Often, Madison responded with quick baskets from Basile, Harris, Albert Franklin and Marlon Howard. Most were close range shots which frustrated the Crusaders.
Livit and Chukwujekwu scored three straight layups to open the third quarter, which trimmed Madison’s lead, 35-29. With less than five minutes left, Chukwujekwu two consecutive jumpers tied the game at 35 and led for the first time since late in the first quarter, 37-35 with 4:15 to go.
As the quarter continued, Harris layup paired with Franklin’s rebound score broke up a 40-all tie and sent the Marlins to the fourth quarter up 44-42.
In the first game Bellaire blew past Morton Ranch, 94-50 in the first round of the Boys Class 5A Region III playoffs and will face the winner of Cy-Falls/Nimitz Friday.
“Well when you’re up by 40 points and the kids ask, what happen to the scouting report? You have to tell these kids, that, you guys took on a new game. The scouting report went out the window but that don’t mean it intentionally goes out the window,” Bellaire coach Bruce Glover said. We didn’t do well on rebounding. We’ll go back and correct that. This group is really good at making corrections.
The Cardinals had little trouble establishing its dominance early and often.
“Our tempo was real important. We understand the Katy district. They play low scoring games, 36-33. We’ve scouted them. If we continue to control the tempo and take away layups, we’ll have a chance,” says Glover.
It’s been smooth sailing for Bellaire who finished second behind Westside in district 20-5A.
“We’re playing well. We’re playing with confidence. They believe the things we’re working on at practice,” added Glover.