Warriors get 'Best' effort at right time against Saints

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on January 21, 2015 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

With a minute and a half remaining in regulation, Eastern Wayne's KK Best saw an inbounds pass floating through the air that was up for grabs.

Best leapt for the ball like a free safety, but was a step late and collided with Dequan McKinney to pick up a foul. McKinney knocked down both free throws to give Southern Wayne a one-point lead.

"It was a loose ball I had to have it," Best said. "Thought I was going to get it."

A possession later the Saints were again taking the ball out of bounds. The pass was again thrown in Best's direction. This time, Best wasn't late. He picked off the pass near midcourt and drove to the basket for a layup to give Eastern Wayne a lead it would not relinquish in a 75-70 victory Tuesday evening.

"It's interesting because we think of KK as a senior, but he's a junior but he's the guy we look to make a play and that's what he did," Eastern Wayne head coach Chris Roberts said. "(After the foul) I told him to not get discouraged and keep doing what he does and to go make a play."

With nearly a minute left after Best's layup, the junior point guard drew a charge on the ensuing Saints' possession.

Clinging to a one-point lead with 30 seconds remaining, the Warriors knew they had to get the ball into the hands of their best free throw shooter -- Blake Poland. The senior got the ball and was fouled with 22.5 seconds remaining.

"I was already setting up my defense," Roberts said. "We all knew he was going to make it. He works so hard at free throws I knew he was going to make them."

Poland did.

And then the Warriors forced a missed 3-pointer and Zeke Martin knocked down two free throws to seal the game. EW is on a modest two-game win streak.

"This is a really big win for us," said Poland, who is new to the rivalry this season. "We feel like we're really starting to click now."

Poland also knocked down a big three midway through the fourth quarter to cut a five-point Saints lead to two. He knew even before he touched the ball he was going to knock down a three on that possession, despite the only other two he made rattling in and out.

"I'm still baffled how those first two didn't go down," Poland said. "I knew that one was good as soon as it left my hand."

Poland finished with 12 points. The other usual big contributors Micah Smith, Malik Richard and Zeke Martin scored 18, 10 and 19 points, respectively. Richard grabbed 15 rebounds.

The "X" factor, though, was Best, who played his best game of the season with 11 points, four steals and five assists.

"My teammates have been pushing me more in practice, getting on me to work a little bit harder," Best said. "Tonight I felt like I stepped up."

McKinney led the Saints with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench. Terry Artis chipped in 11 points in a reserve role as well.