Central edges Vidor in OT (Article)

[jdawg03]

By JARED AINSWORTH, Special to The Enterprise 01/14/2006

VIDOR - The Central basketball team needed a miracle down the stretch on the road at Vidor Friday night.

And the Jaguars got one.

A buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Central guard Demond Chambers sent his team into overtime, and the Jaguars carried that momentum to a 61-55 victory in District 20-4A action.

"We just had to keep fighting through and do what we were doing," Central coach Calvin Rice said. "It was just a great game, it's a good win for us on the road, and I'm just happy to get the win."

With the victory, Central improves to 14-9 overall and 3-1 in district. More importantly, the win moves the Jaguars into a second-place tie in district with Vidor, one spot below Ozen.

"I still think that we're a playoff team that can go deep," Rice said. "I still think that we're a team in District 20-4A that can tie for the championship or even win it. I still feel that way. I tell my kids that, and I want them to believe that."

The Jaguars trailed Vidor by three points with 10 seconds remaining in regulation after Jason Williamson knocked down two free throws for the Pirates.

On the following play, Central guard Brandon Moten missed on a 3-pointer from the right wing, however, the ball grazed the rim and into the hands of fellow Jaguar Brandon Williams, who then kicked the ball out to an open Chambers for the game-tying shot.

In overtime, Moten, a senior, put the Jaguars on the board first with a 3-pointer to give them a 56-53 advantage. The Jaguars never relinquished the lead from there by shooting 5-of-8 from the free throw line and holding the Pirates to just two points in the period.

Noah Cole scored 27 points for a Vidor team that stymied Central's fast break attack all night. The Pirates forced the Jaguars into a half court offense and also forced them into 13 turnovers.

Guard Keith Fisher led the Jaguars with 13 points, and Williams had 12 in a game in which both teams played sluggishly on offense.

"They set the tempo," Rice said. "We couldn't get into our transition and the key to us winning is being able to get in our transition. They did a good job of taking that away."

But in the end it all came down to defense for Central. Only five Vidor players scored in the contest, and Central held the Pirates without a single field goal over the final three minutes of regulation. Williamson joined Cole in double figures with 13 points.

"No doubt, defense was key down the stretch," Rice said. "I tell you what, Noah Cole is a talented, gutsy young man, and he stepped up and was the difference for Vidor tonight. They are a fundamentally sound team. They're hard to play, especially at their home."

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[SilsbeeD]

sounds like it was a good one