What was the WORST playoff loss you have ever experienced?

[Guest DickVitale]

Man, this may bring tears to some of you guys eyes....This is for fans, former and current players, and coaches.... :'( :'( :'(..It could be an upset loss, buzzer beater, or just a plain blowout...whatever, but it had to be bad!

Let's hear 'em!

[shorttexas1]

That same "lucky" Central 1990 team (so says Dickie) Gave me a heart heart attack a year before...  Many of you don't remember that Central lost in the Regional Semi Finals 1998 to Pearland.... It was kind of a magical ride that year...  Kensly Barrett a 6' football player that played D1 at Rice was the only senior to start on that Jag team...  He had hit a three pointer to win the last two games against if I am not mistaken... Elkins and Aldine...  The sam situation reared its head against Pearland...  Kensley got the ball on the left wing, rose up, and clanked the ball off the back Iron... 

[shorttexas1]

Pearland went on to the State championship to lose to a very beatable Midland team... One of the weakest state champs!

[Guest DickVitale]

Yea, that sounds like a tough one...I can think of my top 5! Here is number 5:

My freshman year, 1989, We were in the regional finals vs. Clear Lake...We were the #1 ranked 5A in the state and #2 in the nation that year...Clear Lake shot 17-21 from 3 that game.....YES..17-21 from 3!!. I hit back to back threes at one stretch and they countered with 3 IN A ROW!!..they were 8-8 in the first half from 3 and we went in at half tied at 48! They put on a shooting clinic! During the halftime speech, my dad re-interrated that there was no way they could shoot that well for another half, just continue to keep playing solid defense...They beat us 91-89 on a last second CORNER three shot out of desperation due to a tipped ball as time expired by David Buckner (yes, I remember his name)...Clear Lake went on to win the 5A title needless to say, and in every interview they said that the Madison win propelled them to the title... > >...Still makes me sick!!

[AggiesAreWe]

I have two that comes to mind. The first as a player losing to Bmt. Hebert in '82 in a district playoff ( back then only the district champion advanced to the playoffs ) We split our district games and then lost to them in the Beaumont Civic Center in the playoff. Both teams were ranked in the top 3 all season long, flip flopping at times. I read in an article in the Austin American Statesman where they had interviewed Coach Fred Williams about his third consecutive trip to the state tourney, and he was quoted saying " We feel very fortunate to be here this year, I think the best team is back in Silsbee and not here in Austin ". Hebert went on to win their third consecutive state championship.

As for a fan, it had to be in '98, when Silsbee was 32-0, #1 in state all year, and nationally ranked, then lost in the first round of the playoffs to Chapel Hill. That was a tough one to swallow, Silsbee was clearly the better team, was just out coached. I went to the state tourney that year, and from my perspective, there was no team there that Silsbee couldn't handle, maybe even the 5A class that year, IMO.

Another one would have to be last year when Silsbee lost to HJ in the regional finals, which most felt was the state championship game. Silsbee led almost the entire game, then fell apart at the end and lost in overtime. I still believe the better team won, but the Tigers had the Hawks, just couldn't close it.

[I need bail]

My worst high school playoff lost wasn't really a playoff game, but it was a game that did effect our playoff seeding at the time.  We went down to Nederland and got beat!  We were head and shoulders better than them, but they were so fired-up to play against us it was unreal.  I wanta say that was in 97 or 98...The zenith of the JAMODI era!  Their students even went after my mom and one of our assistants wife!  I had that effect on people.  I can not remember who the coach was at the time for Nederland, but he had them ready to play....with some type of funky 2-2-1 press!

[shorttexas1]

I have two that comes to mind. The first as a player losing to Bmt. Hebert in '82 in a district playoff ( back then only the district champion advanced to the playoffs ) We split our district games and then lost to them in the Beaumont Civic Center in the playoff. Both teams were ranked in the top 3 all season long, flip flopping at times. I read in an article in the Austin American Statesman where they had interviewed Coach Fred Williams about his third consecutive trip to the state tourney, and he was quoted saying " We feel very fortunate to be here this year, I think the best team is back in Silsbee and not here in Austin ". Hebert went on to win their third consecutive state championship.

As for a fan, it had to be in '98, when Silsbee was 32-0, #1 in state all year, and nationally ranked, then lost in the first round of the playoffs to Chapel Hill. That was a tough one to swallow, Silsbee was clearly the better team, was just out coached. I went to the state tourney that year, and from my perspective, there was no team there that Silsbee couldn't handle, maybe even the 5A class that year, IMO.

Another one would have to be last year when Silsbee lost to HJ in the regional finals, which most felt was the state championship game. Silsbee led almost the entire game, then fell apart at the end and lost in overtime. I still believe the better team won, but the Tigers had the Hawks, just couldn't close it.

i THOUGHT THAT WAS cLEVELAND SILSBEE LOST TO AFTER BLOWING THEM OUT TWICE BY MORE THAN 20 DURING THE REGULAR SEASON...  tHAD hOLDEN, LOU, AND MON WAS ON THAT TEAM... THEY WERE GREAT AND THE ONLY TEAM IN THE AREA TO BEAT EMMANUAL MCELROY LED LINCOLN THAT YEAR.

[AggiesAreWe]

I have two that comes to mind. The first as a player losing to Bmt. Hebert in '82 in a district playoff ( back then only the district champion advanced to the playoffs ) We split our district games and then lost to them in the Beaumont Civic Center in the playoff. Both teams were ranked in the top 3 all season long, flip flopping at times. I read in an article in the Austin American Statesman where they had interviewed Coach Fred Williams about his third consecutive trip to the state tourney, and he was quoted saying " We feel very fortunate to be here this year, I think the best team is back in Silsbee and not here in Austin ". Hebert went on to win their third consecutive state championship.

As for a fan, it had to be in '98, when Silsbee was 32-0, #1 in state all year, and nationally ranked, then lost in the first round of the playoffs to Chapel Hill. That was a tough one to swallow, Silsbee was clearly the better team, was just out coached. I went to the state tourney that year, and from my perspective, there was no team there that Silsbee couldn't handle, maybe even the 5A class that year, IMO.

Another one would have to be last year when Silsbee lost to HJ in the regional finals, which most felt was the state championship game. Silsbee led almost the entire game, then fell apart at the end and lost in overtime. I still believe the better team won, but the Tigers had the Hawks, just couldn't close it.

i THOUGHT THAT WAS cLEVELAND SILSBEE LOST TO AFTER BLOWING THEM OUT TWICE BY MORE THAN 20 DURING THE REGULAR SEASON...  tHAD hOLDEN, LOU, AND MON WAS ON THAT TEAM... THEY WERE GREAT AND THE ONLY TEAM IN THE AREA TO BEAT EMMANUAL MCELROY LED LINCOLN THAT YEAR.

No it was Chapel Hill, they snowbirded us all night, never adjusted to it. That Silsbee team was very deep that year, 14 deep actually. Sigler would sub 5 at a time about every 4 minutes in the first 3 quarters, would simply run the other teams ragged. That Tiger team was loaded with talent.

[PoppaBearstarr]

HJ and Jasper several years ago, HJ had all the talent in the world that year and would have made a long playoff run, but Jasper got hot hitten the three ball and we just ran out of time. First round loss in evadales new gym....I felt so sorry for those young men who worked so hard.

[Guest DickVitale]

My number 4:

When I was my dad's assistant coach at Kashmere in 1999, and we were again the heavy favorite to go to Austin and LOST in the regional final to Port Arthur Lincoln in College Station...33-31....YES, 33-31, and we were averaging about 92 ppg that year...Dad decides on the eve of the game to turn the tables on Coach Gamble (who came out of retirement) and do the unexpected and HOLD THE BALL...I was FURIOUS at the decision, but I was only the assistant and could only trust the head coach  >...The score was 6-2 at half time...We played RIGHT into Gamble's hands and I KNEW it, but could do nothing. We went 12 deep that year and they only had about 6-7 deep....Excuse me while I get some tissue... :'( :'( :'( :'(...

[Guest tigersvoice]

I have two that comes to mind. The first as a player losing to Bmt. Hebert in '82 in a district playoff ( back then only the district champion advanced to the playoffs ) We split our district games and then lost to them in the Beaumont Civic Center in the playoff. Both teams were ranked in the top 3 all season long, flip flopping at times. I read in an article in the Austin American Statesman where they had interviewed Coach Fred Williams about his third consecutive trip to the state tourney, and he was quoted saying " We feel very fortunate to be here this year, I think the best team is back in Silsbee and not here in Austin ". Hebert went on to win their third consecutive state championship.

As for a fan, it had to be in '98, when Silsbee was 32-0, #1 in state all year, and nationally ranked, then lost in the first round of the playoffs to Chapel Hill. That was a tough one to swallow, Silsbee was clearly the better team, was just out coached. I went to the state tourney that year, and from my perspective, there was no team there that Silsbee couldn't handle, maybe even the 5A class that year, IMO.

Another one would have to be last year when Silsbee lost to HJ in the regional finals, which most felt was the state championship game. Silsbee led almost the entire game, then fell apart at the end and lost in overtime. I still believe the better team won, but the Tigers had the Hawks, just couldn't close it.

Good Grief, AAW!  I was at the first two games that you mentioned above.  I can remember the ebb and flow of that game in the Civic Center.  Wasn't the Coach (I can't remember his name) a golfer that moved to Lakeway (or near there) when he retired from Silsbee?

And the loss to Chapel Hill in Lufkin - couldn't believe what I was seeing.  Kept thinking the Tigers would pull it out and it would be a good experience for the rest of the playoffs.  Wasn't that the year that Silsbee DID NOT play a warm-up game after  

finishing district?  Waited to face the second round game with Chapel Hill?  Faulty strategy, maybe!  

[BLUEDOVE3]

Yea, that sounds like a tough one...I can think of my top 5! Here is number 5:

My freshman year, 1989, We were in the regional finals vs. Clear Lake...We were the #1 ranked 5A in the state and #2 in the nation that year...Clear Lake shot 17-21 from 3 that game.....YES..17-21 from 3!!. I hit back to back threes at one stretch and they countered with 3 IN A ROW!!..they were 8-8 in the first half from 3 and we went in at half tied at 48! They put on a shooting clinic! During the halftime speech, my dad re-interrated that there was no way they could shoot that well for another half, just continue to keep playing solid defense...They beat us 91-89 on a last second CORNER three shot out of desperation due to a tipped ball as time expired by David Buckner (yes, I remember his name)...Clear Lake went on to win the 5A title needless to say, and in every interview they said that the Madison win propelled them to the title... > >...Still makes me sick!!

[/quote

Back to back 3's ? Does this mean you came down the floor twice in a row and hit? Or as I remember your game, you came down the floor and shot most of time? C'mon now, you know I know you!!! Tell the truth. :-X

[Guest DickVitale]

Boy, you are such a hater!! I was ONLY a freshman!! and my job that year was to SHOOT...ask questions later!

[Guest orangeman]

For me this was last year when we (#2 West Hardin) lost in the Regional Finals to #1 Martins Mill. We led by four after one. They led by about 6 at the half. They controlled the ball and controlled the boards in the second half and we went cold shooting the ball. There was no last second shot or anything like that to put us out. I couldn't even tell you the final score to that game. But one thing I'll never forget is looking across the court to the opponents side of the arena and hearing every last one of them chanting "AUSTIN... AUSTIN... AUSTIN". Knowing how close we were, I still get that same feeling in my stomach when I think about it.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

My number 4:

When I was my dad's assistant coach at Kashmere in 1999, and we were again the heavy favorite to go to Austin and LOST in the regional final to Port Arthur Lincoln in College Station...33-31....YES, 33-31, and we were averaging about 92 ppg that year...Dad decides on the eve of the game to turn the tables on Coach Gamble (who came out of retirement) and do the unexpected and HOLD THE BALL...I was FURIOUS at the decision, but I was only the assistant and could only trust the head coach  >...The score was 6-2 at half time...We played RIGHT into Gamble's hands and I KNEW it, but could do nothing. We went 12 deep that year and they only had about 6-7 deep....Excuse me while I get some tissue... :'( :'( :'( :'(...

man i was a soph. we were at school when they went to halftime i swear we were all shocked.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

for me just watching----my freshman year at the beehive-----Lincoln vs Waltrip in Houston for the region 3 title in '98.........the rams went on to win state and i do believe they took that title back from waltrip cause #14--Falu, and #44---Taylor was bout 19 and 20 yrs old. Field Williams killed it behind the arc that night.  :'(

[MWhizzie]

back in 98 i think when kountze lost to la vega in the state semifinals

[Guest DickVitale]

for me just watching----my freshman year at the beehive-----Lincoln vs Waltrip in Houston for the region 3 title in '98.........the rams went on to win state and i do believe they took that title back from waltrip cause #14--Falu, and #44---Taylor was bout 19 and 20 yrs old. Field Williams killed it behind the arc that night.  :'(

Taylor wasn't too old, it was Falu who was collecting a SSI check!! ..That was right after Boutte left for Ozen...he and I watched that game, and it was hard for him to look!...He was sending notes to Duffie at halftime about how to adjust to what they were doing...He didnt listen.. 8)

[TradinUp BH]

Yea, that sounds like a tough one...I can think of my top 5! Here is number 5:

My freshman year, 1989, We were in the regional finals vs. Clear Lake...We were the #1 ranked 5A in the state and #2 in the nation that year...Clear Lake shot 17-21 from 3 that game.....YES..17-21 from 3!!. I hit back to back threes at one stretch and they countered with 3 IN A ROW!!..they were 8-8 in the first half from 3 and we went in at half tied at 48! They put on a shooting clinic! During the halftime speech, my dad re-interrated that there was no way they could shoot that well for another half, just continue to keep playing solid defense...They beat us 91-89 on a last second CORNER three shot out of desperation due to a tipped ball as time expired by David Buckner (yes, I remember his name)...Clear Lake went on to win the 5A title needless to say, and in every interview they said that the Madison win propelled them to the title... > >...Still makes me sick!!

I played football and baseball at WB, but I remember in basketball it seemed Clear Lake was one of the best teams during the late 80's to early 90's in basketball. I remember them bouncing WB out of the playoffs, and I think buzzer beaters if I remember right.

[Guest DickVitale]

Yeah, Clear Lake was pretty salty back then..Lots of shooters..They even had a 6'9 center out there hitting threes consistently! They won state in '89 and were finalists in '90 losing to Dallas Kimball.  Ol' Coach Bill Kruger...He was and is a coaching legend..

[yepyep]

back in 98 i think when kountze lost to la vega in the state semifinals

Mario Kinsey????????

[Roll_Left15]

In '02 when we (HF) lost to Kountze in the State Quarterfinals, really ripped my heart out!  We were in no way better than Kountze, Trey Peters got hot early on and before I knew it we were down 13 at the break.  Two weeks earlier we had them on the ropes at the Hamshire Dome leading the whole game only to lose by 6! Keithan could pull it from anywhere! Sutherland was prepared for the box and 1 and triangle and 2 that gave them so much trouble in our second game with them....He's a helluva coach! As well as Keener......Packed house in Ozen, the atmosphere was electric but Ashton Hall was too much! It was my junior year and it hurt so bad because I knew Keener was leaving and we were losing so many seniors like Jacoby Malone and Cody Elliot, all that was returning was me and Cedric Larnette and that district was too tough to get back with just us two and a first year coach. HF basketball hasn't been the same since.  I think we won 11 games the next year and I don't think Hamshires won 11 combined in the five years since 03......

[BLUEDOVE3]

My number 4:

When I was my dad's assistant coach at Kashmere in 1999, and we were again the heavy favorite to go to Austin and LOST in the regional final to Port Arthur Lincoln in College Station...33-31....YES, 33-31, and we were averaging about 92 ppg that year...Dad decides on the eve of the game to turn the tables on Coach Gamble (who came out of retirement) and do the unexpected and HOLD THE BALL...I was FURIOUS at the decision, but I was only the assistant and could only trust the head coach  >...The score was 6-2 at half time...We played RIGHT into Gamble's hands and I KNEW it, but could do nothing. We went 12 deep that year and they only had about 6-7 deep....Excuse me while I get some tissue... :'( :'( :'( :'(...

man i was a soph. we were at school when they went to halftime i swear we were all shocked.

Dickie, I thought maybe you were joking about this game. Your dad must have gone senile in his older years. He never coached like that in his younger days with us. We ran up and down the floor running up the score.

[Guest DickVitale]

My number 4:

When I was my dad's assistant coach at Kashmere in 1999, and we were again the heavy favorite to go to Austin and LOST in the regional final to Port Arthur Lincoln in College Station...33-31....YES, 33-31, and we were averaging about 92 ppg that year...Dad decides on the eve of the game to turn the tables on Coach Gamble (who came out of retirement) and do the unexpected and HOLD THE BALL...I was FURIOUS at the decision, but I was only the assistant and could only trust the head coach  >...The score was 6-2 at half time...We played RIGHT into Gamble's hands and I KNEW it, but could do nothing. We went 12 deep that year and they only had about 6-7 deep....Excuse me while I get some tissue... :'( :'( :'( :'(...

man i was a soph. we were at school when they went to halftime i swear we were all shocked.

Dickie, I thought maybe you were joking about this game. Your dad must have gone senile in his older years. He never coached like that in his younger days with us. We ran up and down the floor running up the score.

Well, you know dad was always "crazy like a fox" and would come up with innovative game plans, but this one backfired! I was pleading with him not to do it...Not against Coach Gamble!! Thats like trying to run and gun against a Jackie Carr coached Wheatley team, with only 6 players!! DOOM!

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

for me just watching----my freshman year at the beehive-----Lincoln vs Waltrip in Houston for the region 3 title in '98.........the rams went on to win state and i do believe they took that title back from waltrip cause #14--Falu, and #44---Taylor was bout 19 and 20 yrs old. Field Williams killed it behind the arc that night.  :'(

Taylor wasn't too old, it was Falu who was collecting a SSI check!! ..That was right after Boutte left for Ozen...he and I watched that game, and it was hard for him to look!...He was sending notes to Duffie at halftime about how to adjust to what they were doing...He didnt listen.. 8)

sad thing about it if they would have won they would have easily had state.