PG Jeffrey Dockett's free throw with 5.7 seconds left in overtime following the narrowest of calls that went in #13 Pasadena's favor lifted the Lancers to a thrilling 88-87 win over #14 LA Trade Tech Friday night in SCC action in Pasadena.
With the score tied, Dockett drove from the left wing and collided with Trade Tech Ctr Kyle Reid, who was called for a blocking foul. If Reid moved at all, he moved only the slightest of distances, but the call went in the Lancers' favor and Dockett cashed in his opportunity.
That was just the final chapter of a saga that saw Pasadena (15-5, 3-1) lose a 19-point lead but overcome a 4-point deficit in overtime. LA Trade Tech (10-9, 2-2) took its first lead since 4-2 with a minute to go in regulation time, and took its largest lead of the game at 85-81 in overtime, but Pasadena found a way to come away with the win.
It was no surprise that the game was so close, given the remarkable parity that exists in the SCC-North this year. The surprise was that Pasadena built a huge first-half lead, going on a 15-0 run at one point and holding a 37-18 advantage later in the first half. But Trade Tech rallied, tying the score early in the second half and also rallying from another 10-point deficit with 9 minutes to play.
Trade Tech took a 79-78 lead with exactly a minute to play on a 3-point play by Reid. Pasadena Ctr Faruk Oyalade split two free throws with 46.4 seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 79. Three blocked shots - two by Reid - in the last 30 seconds of regulation made sure the game went to overtime.
And in overtime, Trade Tech took an 85-81 lead on a lay-up by Reid following a steal by SG Donja Brooks. But Pasadena responded with a 6-0 spurt, taking an 87-85 lead on a pair of free throws by SG Jevon Shields with 57.4 seconds left. Trade Tech tied it on a basket by PF Andre Harris off a pass from Reid with 24.3 seconds left, prompting a Pasadena timeout to set up a final play.
That play went to Dockett, who made the first resulting free throw but missed the second. Harris got the rebound and the ball went to Brooks, but Trade Tech was out of timeouts. With time winding down, Brooks had no choice but to force a contested jumper from the right elbow that was well off the mark as the final horn sounded.
That it took so much drama for Pasadena to get the win was surprising after the Lancers built two separate double-digit leads. Trade Tech led, 4-2, early on, but Pasadena went on a 7-0 run to lead, 9-4. The Lancers held a modest 19-16 lead midway through the first half when they went on the 15-0 run to lead, 34-16. Brooks ended Trade Tech's drought with a basket, but Dockett drained a 3-pointer moments later to give Pasadena a 37-18 lead.
But Brooks scored two more baskets and assisted on another by SF Everett Osborne to help Trade Tech get back in the game, cutting the deficit to 9 points at 38-29, and the Beavers trailed, 42-33, at the half. Trade Tech continued its comeback to start the second half, tying the score at 48 on a short jumper by Osborne about 5 minutes after halftime.
Pasadena broke a 52-all tie with an 8-0 spurt and seemed to regain control of the game, taking a 10-point lead at 68-58 after a 3-pointer by SF Adrian Miles at the 9-minute mark. But Trade Tech rallied again, getting within a point at 75-74 on two free throws by Reid with 2:06 left and taking the 79-78 lead at the one-minute mark, the Beavers' first lead since the game's opening minutes.
For Pasadena, PF Taj Spencer had a huge game with 32 pts, 13 rebs, 2 asts, 3 blocked shots and a steal. Dockett had 17 pts, 8 rebs, 7 asts and 2 steals. Oyalade had 10 pts before fouling out midway through overtime, and Miles had 8 pts, 6 rebs, 6 asts and 4 steals.
For Trade Tech, Reid had a team-best 23 pts, including a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line, plus 8 rebs, 3 asts, 3 steals and a game-high 6 blocked shots. Osborne had 21 pts, making his first 5 shot attempts to keep Trade Tech close early on, and added 5 rebs and 4 steals. Harris came off the bench for 18 pts, 12 rebs, 2 asts and 4 blocked shots. Brooks had 17 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts and 3 steals. PG Darnell Christopher did not score but dished out a game-high 12 asts.
The win allows Pasadena to retain a share of the SCC-North lead along with Compton and East LA. Trade Tech falls a game off the pace with the loss, but stays within striking distance. In fact, at this point only defending state champion Mt. San Antonio seems out of contention at 0-4 in the ultra-competitive SCC-North.
box score
Friday, January 17, 2014 - 5 pm
at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium, Pasadena
South Coast Conference - North Division
LA Trade Tech Beavers 87:
1-Everett Osborne, SF - 10/16 fg, 1/3 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 4 stl, 2 pf, 21 pts
4-Aaron Fitts, PF - 2/5 fg, 2 reb, 1 blk, 3 pf, 4 pts
10-Kyle Reid, C - 7/14 fg, 9/9 ft, 8 reb, 3 ast, 6 blk, 3 stl, 4 pf, 23 pts
13-Donja Brooks, SG - 7/15 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl, 3 pf, 17 pts
24-Vinay Parmar, PG - 2 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
5-Darnell Christopher, G - 0/4 fg, 2 reb, 12 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 0 pts
25-Andre Harris, F - 6/10 fg, 4/4 ft, 12 reb, 2 ast, 4 blk, 4 pf, 16 pts
20-Jordan Watson, C - 3/5 fg, 0/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 blk, 2 pf, 6 pts
21-Mason Foster, F - 0/2 fg, 0/1 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 0 pts
31-Ellis Bivens, C - 0/1 fg, 0 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 35/72 fg (.486), 16/21 ft (.762), 42 reb, 22 ast, 12 blk, 13 stl, 21 pf, 87 pts
3-pt fg (1): Brooks
Turnovers (18): Osborne 3, Reid 3, Brooks 3, Parmar 3, Christopher 3, Harris, team 2
Pasadena Lancers 88:
12-Jeffrey Dockett, PG - 7/21 fg, 1/4 ft, 8 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 17 pts
22-Adrian Miles, SF - 3/13 fg, 1/2 ft, 6 reb, 6 ast, 4 stl, 2 pf, 8 pts
24-Taj Spencer, PF - 11/22 fg, 10/11 ft, 13 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 32 pts
32-Faruk Oyalade, C - 3/7 fg, 4/6 ft, 4 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 5 pf, 10 pts
40-Jevon Shields, G - 1/4 fg, 4/4 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 4 pf, 7 pts
00-Bryce Clifton, F - 1/2 fg, 1 reb, 2 pts
14-Brandon Joseph, G - 2/4 fg, 0/1 ft, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 4 pts
23-Jonathan Henderson, F - 2/2 fg, 2 reb, 3 ast, 5 pts
42-Marsalis Ellison, G - 1 pf, 0 pts
21-Rashad Smith, F - 1/4 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 blk, 1 pf, 3 pts
team rebounds: 10
Totals: 31/79 fg (.392), 21/30 ft (.700), 52 reb, 21 ast, 5 blk, 11 stl, 18 pf, 88 pts
3-pt fg (5): Dockett 2, Miles, Shields, Henderson
Fouled Out: Oyalade 2:52 left in OT
Turnovers (21): Miles 6, Spencer 5, Dockett 4, Oyalade 2, Joseph 2, Shields, Smith
Halftime Score: Pasadena 42, LA Trade Tech 33
End of Regulation: Tied at 79
Updated Records: Pasadena (#13-South) 15-5, 3-1 in SCC; LA Trade Tech (#14-South) 10-9, 2-2 in SCC
Pasadena went on a 15-0 run in the 1st half and later led 37-18.
Trade Tech tied it at 48 five minutes into the 2nd half.
Dockett drew a foul and made a FT with 5.7 secs left in OT to break an 87-87 tie.
