Davis free throws with
1.3 seconds to go lifts Bush
You wouldn’t have known that both teams were making their first trip to the state tournament. They played like veterans and were very poised.
Junior Guard Roshard Davis knocked down two free throws after being fouled by Phil Forte with 1.3 seconds to go in overtime to help Fort Bend Bush (34-4) edged Lewisville Marcus 45-43 Friday night at the Frank Erwin Center. With the win Bush advances to the class 5A final to face Garland Lakeview Centennial on Saturday at 8:30 pm.
Two back to back timeouts in an effort to ice him didn’t stop Davis from knocking down two clutch free throws.
Smart’s desperation shot fell short as time expired.
Flower Mound Marcus (37-3) took advantage of Bush’s early mistakes when Cory Needs rebounded a stick back, a slam dunk by Marcus Smart, a three pointer by Sophomore Forte and a layup by Jake Holding to take a 9-3 lead late in the first quarter.
Smart added a three pointer after a Bush basket to push the lead up, 12-5.
“Well I knew it was going to be this type of game because I watch film on them. I knew they were a grind it out team, what in a hurry, they run their sets in which they do a heck of a great job. I told my kids we just have to make shots and defend the best we could and hold on if we ever got a lead,” Coach Ronnie Courtney said.
Richardson’s three pointer and Jordan Clark’s layup tied the game at 12 with 6:40 to go in the second quarter. Nate Clayton’s inside feed from Clark gave Bush their first lead of the game, 14-12.
The marauders battled back with a free throw from Semien and a three pointer by Forte to give the Marauders a 16-14 lead.
Clark’s jumper tied the game at 16. Just after, Smart was good on one free throw to give Marcus a one point lead, 17-16. Then Smart found Needs cutting to basket for the duce with time winding down in the second quarter.
Before the half Bush got the last punch in with consecutive three pointers, one by Richardson and the other from Clark. After some great defense at the other end Richardson scored on a layup to give Bush a 23-19 halftime lead.
Richardson’s jumper from the right baseline and his one handed runner in the lane stretch their lead, 27-21.
Bush enjoyed their biggest lead of the game briefly on Ridley’s offensive rebound put back, that gave them a 12 point lead, 33-21.
“Well today I knew it would be a tough game but I knew my teammates had the desire to win every game. I knew they would come here, play hard and to their best ability,” said Bush’s Guard Jordan Clark.
Flower Mound Marcus’s Forte hand was hot on just about every shot he took, first a layup by Semien, a quick move by Forte who knock down a jumper pull them within 8, 33-25. The Marauders worked the ball around the court finding Forte again who drilled a deep trey from the left baseline, 33-28.
Forte was big for the Flower Mound Marcus coming up with two free throws to get within one, 39-38 but the Marauders fail to block out the athletic Clark who got inside for the tip in to push the lead back up, 41-38. That’s when Forte nail a three pointer to knot the game at 41.
With 1:32 to go Clark had a chance to break the tie for Bush but he missed both free throws.
Bush had possession of the ball at the end of regulation but Gatlin’s shot fell short at the buzzer.
In overtime Smart made good on two free throws to give the Marauders a 43-41 lead.
Richardson was left unguarded when Ridley came up with the offensive board; he passed the ball to Richardson who knocked down the open shot from the free throw line to tie the game at 43.
On the other end of the court Smart missed the front end of a one and one after being fouled by Gatlin, Bush then took possession of the rebound to set up the last second free throws by Davis to ice the game.
“I felt like if we play hard we could pretty much beat anybody, we just had go out there and execute our plays, execute our defense and that’s what we did. We have a coach, this is third time being here, I think we got a lot of experience from him. He tells us how it is about being at the state tournament. We just listen to him,” said Bush’s shooting Guard Darius Richardson.
