Mays backdoor layup with 1:08 left closed the door on the Wolves
Both the Marlins and the Wolves were aware of the importance of its district matchup. However, it was Madison who got out in front early in a physical action packed district 20-5A dual.
Damon Mays converted a layup with 1:08 left to give the Marlins a three point lead and eventually led to a 76-70 victory over Westside.
The Marlin’s (13-11, 7-2) entered the contest a game behind front runner, Westside (22-5, 7-2). The win, avenged a 49-45 district loss to the Wolves back on January 4th.
Point guard Dedrick Basile found teammate Damon Mays cutting to the goal behind the defense to score the pivotal basket, which ultimately took the bite out of the Wolves. Westside had another opportunity to trim the lead, but Michael Gholston fail to convert the front end of a one-and-one, leaving Madison’s Hargrove with possession of the rebound.
“We’ve been persevering all year. We’re a young team,” Madison coach Craig Maura said, who says Basile is the only kid on our team that has big game experience. If he’s playing well, everyone plays well. We tried to give the game to them, and then they gave it back to us.”
Just before, point guard Robert Hatter scored six consecutive points to pull Westside within one, 70-69
Madison led 7-4 early and never trailed from that moment as it ended the first quarter up 23-15. Basile who finished with 20 points set the tone for the Marlins offense and defense. He also finished with four steals. Wingman Darius Hargrove led the Marlins in scoring with 25 and nine rebounds and Mays tossed in 17.
The Marlins managed to hold a comfortable lead despite being out rebounded 40-25. Basile’s trey from the right baseline coupled with a steal pushed the Marlin’s lead, 28-17 with 6:48 to go in the second quarter.
Westside closed within five points twice in the second quarter, 28-22 and 35-30 but could never slow the quicker Marlins.
“It was too big a hole early on. We finally got it in gear, but it was too late. Those guys (Madison) are too athletic, too fast and too quick,” said Deon Williams, Westside’s coach.
Hargrove opened the third quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers to keep the pressure on the Wolves.
Hatter handily kept Westside striving as he penetrated Madison’s man-to-man defense scoring layups on several occasions.
“Basically we started off too slow,” Hatter said. We waited until we got down and started playing hard. That’s another district loss, but we’ll be alright. I was trying to score quick baskets and get back on defense.”
Down by as many as 13 points (51-38) midways through the third quarter, Westside used its pressure defense to force the Marlins into three costly turnovers. But, only trimmed the deficit to 10 points, by the end of the quarter.
“We didn’t match their intensity. With the position they were in (Madison) as far as district play, they were focused and they were ready to play. We came out a little to suggest, we dug a hole we couldn’t get out of,” Williams said.
The Wolves opened fourth quarter trailing 60-50 before chipping away at the lead. Later, Hatter connected on a short leaner to pull Westside within seven, 68-61. After Mays missed two free throws, Hatter found driving room on the left side of the Marlin’s defense for three consecutive layups, trimming the lead (70-67).
“We had about three or four opportunities but we ended up turning the ball over. Those were excellent times to cut into the lead but we squander those opportunities,” said Coach Williams.
A desperate 3-point attempt with 25 seconds left rimmed out by Hatter which would have tied the game. But instead Hargrove controlled the rebound as he was fouled and converted two free throws to ice the game for the Marlins.
Hatter led Westside with 31 points, sophomore Franklin Iheanacho scored 13 points and 14 boards and Godley Giovante tallied 13 points with 12 rebounds.