Roach’s free throw with time winding down helps send the Mustangs to its first state appearance in 18 years
Aldine – Since both teams held the top spot in the area at one time during the season, it seemed either team would represent the region well. However, in a tight, physical, and emotional contest, the breaks came with under a minute to go.
Junior guard Kerwin Roach’s free throw with 8.2 seconds left made the score 59-55 as North Shore claimed the 5A Region III Title, by escaping with a 60-58 victory over the Fort Bend Bush Broncos on Saturday evening at the M. O. Campbell center.
For the first time in 18 years, the Mustangs (33-3) are headed back to Austin, where they fell to Dallas Kimball, 64-53 in the 1997, 5A title game.
Roach, who led North Shore with 19 points, connected on the front end of a one-and-one to give the Mustangs a 59-55 lead with 8.2 seconds left.
“Our composure was really good. During the game, we were back and forth,” says North Shore’s guard Kerwin Roach. “We go up by one, they go up by one. We’ve been talking about going to state all season and now to see it, it’s great.”
Jalin Hart was the only other Mustang in double figures with 12 points.
The 2010 state champion Broncos suffered three straight turnovers including Brandon Jones’ player control foul, stepping on the out-of-bounds line while dribbling the ball with 13 seconds to go, and a costly steal by North Shore’s guard Brandon Green, all spelled the beginning of the end.
Opportunities were there even without the services of All-American forward Kelly Oubre, who moved to Nevada Las Vegas and attends basket power Findlay Prep.
Those crucial moments, North Shore separated itself, all with less than a minute left.
“I told our kids to stay in there until the end,” Mustangs coach David Green said. We could get some turnovers that would lead to easy baskets. The game plan was to wear them down and be up by double figures, but that never happened.”
Donald Monroe, who went 8-of-8 from the free throw line, led Bush with 21 points. Brandon Jones added 16.
From the midway point of the second quarter on, the game turned into an answering contest until guard Hart penetrated the Broncos defense for a layup. That made the score 58-55 and gave the Mustangs breathing room with 46 seconds left.
Bush could do nothing wrong in the first quarter, outscoring the Mustangs 16-11, before holding a 17-11 edge after one quarter.
“It was a good game from start to finish. Bush is a good program,” North Shore’s guard Jalin Hart said. They have a great coach. But this is what we’ve been waiting on for a long time. The reason they were able to get easy baskets over the press, they have good guards and they had a good game plan.”
North Shore used a 6-0 run to tie the score at 18. Roach and junior forward Derec Burks scored on a pair of rebound follow-ups, and Hart knocked down two free throws with 5:51 to go in the second quarter.
At moments during the game, Bush (30-6) seemed as if it would pull away with the lead, but the Mustangs would never let the game get too far away, answering with a timely basket when needed.
“The game was very intense. We were just trying to get to state,” explained Broncos forward Brandon Jones. “Both teams are real hungry. They got the best of it today.”
Burks sank one-of-two free throws to give the Mustangs its first lead of the game, 27-26 with 2:19 left in the second quarter. But that didn’t stop Jones and Monroe from helping Bush regain the lead, 30-29, before entering halftime tied at 30.
North Shores’ pressure defense had little effect on the Broncos who used adequate floor spacing to pass the ball over the press which led to easy baskets.
“The reason they were able to get easy baskets over the press, because they have good guards, and they had a good game plan,” added Mustangs guard Jalin Hart.”
The loss brought back tender moments for Bush, who fell to Travis in last year’s region final.