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C1D1: Clarkton upsets Delta C-7 for district championship title
GIDEON - The third-seeded Clarkton Reindeer defeated the first-seeded Delta C-7 Chargers 48-46 Friday to claim first place honors at the MSHSAA Class1 District 1 Tournament. In the end, victory came to Clarkton in the form of a clutch layup at the final buzzer.
With the game tied 46-46, Reindeer sophomore guard Alex Juarez rebounded under his own glass, emerged vertically from a crowd and sank what some called "the shot of a lifetime" at the buzzer.
It was the second year in a row the Reindeer took home the title, and the first time in Clarkton High School history a basketball squad claimed the award in back-to-back years, Clarkton head coach Cole McBroom noted.
Reindeer star guard Owen Morgan, who this season achieved his 1,000th high school career point, was held to just 10 points Friday under the pressure of the Chargers’ defense, while Charger forward C.J. Wallace, on clip to blast a large hole in the state record for freshman scoring, dropped just eight points.
The game was a burner from the tip and promised to be a physical matchup from the opening seconds.
Defensive slap-aways and stolen passes resulted in Delta senior guard Jaden Ward stepping to the foul line and drawing first blood.
Neither squad let up and the score tied 7-7 after Clarkton senior forward Bryant Redden sank a free throw, followed by senior center Clayton Godsey's layup that gave the Reindeer the lead 9-7 with less than three minutes remaining in the first period.
Delta went to work immediately, regained the lead and iced the first-period cake with a full-court Hail-Mary pass at the buzzer from Ward to junior guard Bryce Manley that brought the score to 14-9.
The Chargers Davon Stewart, a 5'10" sophomore guard, managed a steal and was first to score in the second period. The contest continued with both teams' defensive games on point.
Wallace left the contest with 5:13 left in the half, returned with 3:03 remaining and Delta up by one, 23-22.
The Chargers' Manley drew a foul and the lead increased by two after his successful free throws, 25-22.
The score flip-flopped with Clarkton's Godsey and Redden sinking foul shots and culminating with Wallace dropping a bucket with 21.6 seconds left in the half.
Clarkton trailed by one point, 28-27 at the half.
The teams began the third period with the Reindeer behind, but head coach Cole McBroom's team took control and began that slow, steady climb up the scoreboard.
After several failed attempts at the hoop by both teams, the score inched forward, the lead traded hands until the third-period buzzer sounded and found Clarkton on top by three, 40-37.
The final period began with the Reindeer losing the ball during its first possession and Coach McBroom calling a time out.
With 5:57 left in the fourth, Morgan went hard in the paint and planted a two-point bomb off a fast break, bringing the score to 42-37.
The Chargers sank a foul shot, adding two to the score, 42-39.
A Delta time out later found Wallace scoring two off a fast break of his own, and the Chargers were just a point shy of the Reindeer, 42-41.
With 3:43 remaining, Clarkton's Morgan put in a layup from around and under the glass, and the Reindeer pulled ahead 44-41.
Delta's Ward drew a foul and added a point from the foul line and again, the teams were a bucket apart, 44-42.
With just 2:56 left to play, Morgan made the extra pass to his center Godsey, who bashed in a goal amidst defenders and extended the Reindeer lead to 46-42.
Delta took the ball, Wallace gained control and passed off to Ward. The senior guard fought his way to the glass past Reindeer defense and posted two for Delta, bringing the score to 46-44 with 1:56 remaining.
Ward drew another foul and sank two from the foul line, tying the score at 46.
With 33.6 seconds left to play, Clarkton called a time out. When play resumed and with the game tied 46-46, both teams scrambled after a Clarkton failed shot. The Reindeer's Juarez rebounded, banked one from under the glass at the buzzer and clinched the title.
"We did it," a jubilant Morgan said. "I'm happy.”
"I just wanted to get the win," he added. "It didn't matter if I scored one or 100 points. What mattered is we played as a team, and won as a team."
Delta C-7 coach Josh Mathis was stoic about the loss, and he was proud that his team played with all the guts it could muster.
"This hurts," he said. "Can't deny that.”
"We should have shot more," he added. "You could tell we hadn't been here before, at this level. They all had nerves. I was nervous. They did a great job. I mean, that winning goal was the shot of a lifetime. Both teams played well tonight."
High scorers were Jaden Ward with 11 points for Delta. Clarkton's Clayton Godsey scored 15 for the Reindeer.
Delta's Lewis Garrett and Ward each posted two three-point shots.