KFDM COOP Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 Sterling win forces three-team playoff By Dave Rogers Published February 13, 2008 The dream is alive. Sterling’s improbable rise from a 2-7 start in District 21-5A boys’ basketball to a spot in the playoffs still has a chance. The Rangers got 16 points and 14 rebounds from Adrian Fontenot and downed Port Arthur Memorial 68-53 before a rowdy crowd at Winnie Brown Gym Tuesday night. With Kingwood beating Atascocita, Sterling finishes the regular season in a three-way tie for fourth place and the league’s final playoff berth. To qualify for its first playoff trip since 1988, Sterling must win a weekend play-in tournament that will include Port Arthur and Atascocita. Details will be worked out today. “We knew we had to win to get in the playoffs,†Fontenot said after the Rangers led the entire way en route to their fifth straight win for a 7-7 league record. “Even if Atascocita had beaten Kingwood (and claimed fourth by itself), we still wanted to win our last game.†Derrick Thompson backed up Fontenot by scoring 15 points and Cartavious Kincade and Andre Corley each added 10 markers. Port Arthur’s best player, University of Texas signee J’Covan Brown, played only one half of one game in district before being suspended for the rest of the season. The next best player, senior Jacovin Buckner, teamed with a talented cast of newcomers to help the Titans stay in the playoff hunt until the end. But Friday, Buckner showed up sick and sat out most of the second half. He did return for the final 4:23 of the game and scored 10 of his night’s 11 points in a minute and a half at the end. But it was too little too late. “A lot of people counted us out when we were 2-5 in district,†Ranger coach Mark Patton said, “but we told these seniors at the beginning that we’re going to be a playoff team this year. “I’m happy for the kids. Basically, we did what we we’re supposed to do. We played with heart and we played with energy.†Sterling jumped out to a 17-7 lead after one quarter with Fontenot scoring seven of the opening points. It was 36-22 at the end of the first half, which ended on a 3-ball by from the corner by Jyquis Mitchell that got a standing ovation from the Sterling crowd, which filled two thirds of the seats on the home side of the gym. The Titans closed to 11 points, 45-34, at the end of a third quarter that featured five points by Memorial’s Tevin Turner. Then the Rangers put it away at the free throw line. Sterling, now 22-12 for the season, hit 29 of 48 from the stripe, compared to 15 of 27 by Port Arthur. “They did a great job,†Titan coach Terrul Henderson said of the Rangers, a team his squad beat 73-56 in Port Arthur. “Baytown did a great job.â€
sahen Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 Lets Go Rangers! woohoo....didn't realize they hadn't made the playoffs since 1988 though, thats a drought since 1985 in football and 1988 in basketball...need to end the bball one this year...Go Rangers!
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