Men Defeat San Jac to Advance to Championship Game
Courtesy of Brandon Ogden, Tyler Morning Telegraph
JACKSONVILLE — A team battling an injury to a starting guard and illnesses to multiple players throughout the week overcomes a nine-point deficit in the final six minutes to hand a storied program the final loss in its history — and earns a trip to the conference championship game against a longtime rival to top it off.
It sounds like a plot to a movie. However, it's the reality for the Tyler Junior College Apaches.
Down 57-48 with 5:30 remaining, TJC rallied to take a 65-64 victory over San Jacinto in the semifinals of the Region XIV Tournament Friday night at John Alexander Gymnasium.
"We fought through all of the adversity, and we had to in that game to win it," TJC head coach Mike Marquis said. "We caused a lot turnovers and rebounded well late, and we made some free throws that were important."
Brian Warren's two free throws with 11.8 seconds left gave TJC its first and only lead of the second half. With 4.8 seconds left, San Jacinto's Britt Grant stepped out of bounds. Trenton Sandifer was fouled with 1.1 seconds on the clock and missed both free throws. Grant grabbed the rebound and tried one final attempt, but Warren deflected it to give Tyler the victory.
The game was the final one for San Jacinto, which is discontinuing its basketball program among other sports following this school year.
"There's no good feeling about that for ending their program," Marquis said. "The great feeling for us is winning the game. It's a credit to Scott (Gernander) to have his guys play that hard, and I feel for them."
The Apaches jumped out to a 14-7 lead thanks to three 3-pointers — two by Warren. San Jacinto responded with a 12-2 run. Both teams struggled to score in the final 10 minutes of the first half, and the score was tied at 30 at halftime.
San Jacinto opened the second half on a 12-0 run. TJC battled back to cut the deficit to three points before the Ravens pushed the margin back to nine.
With San Jacinto leading 64-60 and less than a minute remaining, Micah Thomas hit TJC's only 3-pointer of the second half.
The Apaches were 1 of 8 from long range in the second half, and that was Thomas' only made three of the contest in seven attempts. San Jacinto, however, was 3 of 19 from 3-point range in the game and 0 of 6 in the second half.
"I thought that if they made more than seven threes that it would get away from us," Marquis said.
San Jacinto tried to answer Thomas' triple with a three of its own, but Sneed's shot was no good, and Cameron Johnson secured the rebound for the Apaches. Warren then drew a foul to set up his go-ahead free throws.
Warren and Johnson led Tyler with 18 points each. Johnson was starting for the injured Desmond Balentine for the second straight game.
San Jacinto was led by Kabir Mohammed's 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Tyler (25-6) will face Kilgore (19-12) in the championship game at 7 p.m. Saturday in Jacksonville.
"We have a great familiarity with them," Marquis said. "We both play in each other's tournaments, so we see each other four times in November, and then we play each other twice in the season. By the time you've exchanged film and do all of these things, you feel that it's like playing your cousin.
"It will be a hotly contested game. They are rolling right now. Brian (Hoberecht) does a great job with that team. It will be tough for us, but we will see what we've got in the tank. We are blessed to be in the game."
TWITTER: @BrandonOSports
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Region XIV Semifinals
No. 2 Tyler 65, No. 4 San Jacinto 64
San Jacinto 30 34 — 64
Tyler 30 35 — 65
SAN JACINTO—Leon Sneed, 10; Lamarcus Lee, 2; Daejour Adderley, 2; Britt Grant, 3; Daniel Mading, 2; Tay Hardy, 4; Lamar Hamrick, 15; Kabir Mohammed, 17; Aleksander Zecevic, 4; Malcolm Weathers, 0; Kayne Henry, 2; Justin Jaramillo, 3.
TYLER—Cameron Johnson, 18; Brian Warren, 18; Isaiah Fontaine, 0; Micah Thomas, 8; Lukas Bergang, 2; TiAndre Jackson-Young, 7; Edra Luster, 0; Trenton Sandifer, 2; Tajuan Agee, 10.
THREE POINT GOALS—SJ 3 of 19 (Grant, Zecevic, Jaramillo). TJC 6 of 22 (Johnson, Warren 2, Jackson-Young 2, Thomas).
FREE THROWS—SJ 11 of 14. TJC 15 of 25.
RECORDS— San Jacinto 9-13. Tyler 25-6.
No. 9 Kilgore 63, No. 4 Blinn 60
JACKSONVILLE — Kilgore punched its ticket to the Region XIV men's championship game with a 63-60 win over Blinn on Friday night at John Alexander Gymnasium.
Demiere Brown led Kilgore with 17 points.
Markques Houston scored 19 points for Blinn (20-12).
With Kilgore up 61-58 in the final 10 seconds, Blinn's Antione Lister missed a tying 3-point attempt. Blinn had one final attempt to tie with 1.6 seconds left, but the long heave fell short.
Kilgore (19-12) will play either Tyler or San Jacinto in the championship game at 7 p.m. Saturday.
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Region XIV Semifinals
No. 9 Kilgore 63, No. 4 Blinn 60
Kilgore 28 35 — 63
Blinn 24 36 — 60
KILGORE—Samory Gueye, 2; Daytone Jennings, 13; Malachi Davidson, 6; Davon Newton, 5; Chad Bowie, 12; Demiere Brown, 17; Darrian Grays, 6; Lansana Nwosu, 2; James Conteh, 0.
BLINN—Anthony Rice, 5; Antione Lister, 7; Tyrus Grayson, 10; Curtlon Wesley, 5; Markques Houston, 19; Bradley George, 0; Tony Lewis, 13; John Brown, 0; Kae'ron Baker, 1.
THREE POINT GOALS—KC 7 of 24 (Bowie 2, Jennings 2, Grays 2, Newton). BC 5 of 16 (Rice, Lister, Houston 3).
FREE THROWS—KC 4 of 11. BC 13 of 23.
RECORDS—Kilgore 19-12, Blinn 20-12.
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Region XIV Basketball Tournament
March 6-10
John Alexander Gymnasium
Jacksonville
Tuesday (Men's First Round Games)
Game 1 — No. 9 Kilgore 62, No. 8 Bossier Parish 58
Game 2 — No. 12 Angelina 73, No. 5 Paris 68
Game 3 — No. 10 Lamar State-Port Arthur 65, Navarro 62, OT
Game 4 — No. 6 Panola 95, No. 11 Coastal Bend 83
Wednesday (Women's Quarterfinals)
Game 5 — No. 1 Panola 66, No. 8 Bossier Parish 59
Game 6 — No. 4 San Jacinto 56, No. 5 Angelina 50
Game 7 — No. 2 Trinity Valley 64, No. 7 Tyler 49
Game 8 — No. 3 Kilgore 71, No. 6 Blinn 63
Thursday (Men's Quarterfinals)
Game 9 — No. 9 Kilgore 81, No. 1 Trinity Valley 73
Game 10 — No. 4 Blinn 57, No. 12 Angelina 54
Game 11 — No. 2 Tyler 70, No. 10 Lamar State-Port Arthur 63
Game 12 — No. 3 San Jacinto 90, No. 6 Panola 82, OT
Friday (Women's, Men's Semifinals)
Game 13 — Women, No. 4 San Jacinto 73, No. 1 Panola 58
Game 14 — Women, No. 3 Kilgore 64, No. 2 Trinity Valley 55
Game 15 — Men, No. 9 Kilgore 63, No. 4 Blinn 60
Game 16 — No. 2 Tyler 65, No. 3 San Jacinto 64
Saturday (Women's, Men's Championships)
Game 17 — Women's No. 4 San Jacinto (23-10, 12-8) vs. No. 3 Kilgore (21-10, 13-7), 4 p.m.
Game 18 — Men's No. 9 Kilgore (19-12, 8-11) vs. No. 2 Tyler (25-6, 13-6), 7 p.m.