No Boone for Bears

ORLANDO - In the end, Central High's inability to miss proved its undoing last Saturday afternoon.

The Bears faced Orlando-Boone High in the final round of the Jim Clark Holiday Classic at Orlando-Bishop Moore Catholic, having split their first two tournament contests.

After losing to host Bishop Moore on Thursday night, 55-41, and defeating Ben Lippen (S.C.) on Friday, 44-42, Central fell to the Braves despite a late rally, 46-43.

"It was just the time when we had turnovers," Central Head Coach Eric Hayes said. "The timing was bad and we had a couple back-to-back. We'd work the ball, run a minute off the clock, then turn it over and that hurts. Overall we played hard. We kept our focus until the last basket.

"The main thing is still turnovers. As a team we had less than we normally have. At the same time we need to do a better job in close games of securing the basketball.

"We've been very resilient the entire season, the same in this tournament. Coming in here today I'm sure they thought they would beat us by 20 but we didn't allow that to happen. We played hard; we did what we were asked to do."

Furious fourth

A mostly back-and-forth game got a good dose of drama in the fourth quarter, as the Braves (7-7) pulled away only to have the Bears (4-11) fight their way back in it.

Darryn Frazier hit a long three-pointer as time expired in the third quarter, making it 35-33 Boone heading into the final period.

Central didn't score again until Michael Barnes nailed a three with 2:10 remaining. By that time the Braves had built a 42-33 advantage, getting five points from Mario Diaz and a basket from Kyle Lampman.

Barrett Sheffield, who assisted on Barnes' trifecta, followed up with one of his own 25 seconds later, cutting the deficit to 42-39 with 1:45 left to play.

The Bears missed a chance to pull closer on two missed free throws, plus a steal by Eric Sorice. Diaz knocked down a pair from the charity stripe with 48.2 ticks showing on the clock, 44-39.

Frazier responded by snagging a clutch one-handed offensive rebound and coming up with a lay-up while getting fouled. He converted the free throw for the three-point play, making it 44-42 at 23.5 seconds left.

Diaz clanked the front end of a one-and-one attempt, but teammate Alden Byrom grabbed the rebound and the possession would result in two made free throws by Sorice.

Down 46-42 with 11.1 remaining, the Bears rushed up the court. Greg Rodriguez got fouled while attempting a three with 1.1 seconds left.

Rodriguez hit the first, and then missed the second. Hayes called a time-out, asking Rodriguez to intentionally miss the third shot, hoping his team could tip the rebound out to Frazier on the perimeter.

However, Eric Griffin corralled the errant free throw for Boone, his team-high seventh board of the game.

"When our guys listen to instruction, we're a good ball club," Boone Head Coach Willie Anderson said. "But we're still a little selfish at times and it costs us. It's cost us seven games because guys are being stubborn, but when we play as a team we win.

"I didn't know anything about (Central). My focus is on my guys playing together and building as a team. I'm not concerned because whatever they throw at us we have an adjustment for. We play the way we're capable of playing, we're going to win the game or close to it."

Diaz led the Braves with 11 points and five steals. Lampman added 10 points off the bench, part of a 26-point effort by the Boone reserves. Carlos Morales tallied six assists off the pine.

Frazier ended up with 15 points despite being held to just three in the first half, along with seven rebounds. Sheffield chipped in 12 points, four assists and two steals, and Jessey Fulton 10 points and eight boards.

"It was a very good experience," Hayes said of the tournament. "We won a Christmas tournament game. I see things looking bright ahead.

"As long as we win more games than we lose each week, we'll be fine. Instead of being 1-2 every week, eventually we'll be 2-1 or 3-0."