James Kenan boys slip past Spring Creek in double OT

By Cam Ellis
Published in Sports on January 22, 2015 1:48 PM

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cellis@newsargus.com

WARSAW -- What a game.

That's what the parents, voices hoarse and throats raw, said to each other as they filed out of James Kenan's Harmon Gymnasium.

That's what the coaches, cooped up in their closet-like office, said to reporters just minutes after the final buzzer.

That's what the players, who poured out of the locker rooms to the applause of friends and family, said to each other as they walked out of the stuffy gym and into the cold night air.

What a game.

Wednesday night's much-hyped matchup between the top two Carolina 1-A Conference boys' basketball teams -- James Kenan and Spring Creek -- was as good as advertised. The Tigers defeated the Gators, 77-74, in double overtime.

Signature moments?

The game had too many to count.

There was Kenan's Karon Williams. Scoreless through regulation, he hit two 3-pointers in under a minute during overtime to keep the Tigers in the game and bring a raucous gym to its feet.

Then there was Spring Creek point guard and emotional motor Brandon Gonzalez, who had spent the night dealing with foul trouble. He nailed a game-tying 3-point shot with 45 seconds left in the second overtime, which silenced the Kenan faithful.

In the end, though, it was Kenan's Juan Hooper and John Brooks. The duo made crucial free throws in the second overtime that sealed the win for the Tigers. When Spring Creek's half-court shot bounced off the backboard as the buzzer sounded, players on both teams fell to floor in exhaustion.

What a game.

Trey Hammonds led Spring Creek with 23 points. He, along with Gonzalez (20) and Gary Williams (16), carried the Gators on a night where no one else scored -- until Justin Cianfara hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter.

While double-overtime losses are never easy to swallow, Spring Creek coach Taylor Jones was pleased with the way his team played.

"I'm proud of our guys," he said. "I thought we played really hard, but playing hard doesn't always get W's. I thought we played pretty smart, to be honest. I thought we played a winning ballgame.

"In a game like that, one or two plays make the difference."

The Gators had their chances, but several traveling calls in the final minutes kept them from ever getting the equalizer.

The night belonged to Brooks, however. The junior scored 21 of his game-high 24 points in the second half and shot 39 percent from the field. He remained aggressive, even after missing game-winning shots in regulation and overtime. Brooks scored four of the Tigers' 11 points in the second overtime.

"He just made shots," Kenan coach Brad Lloyd said. "There's not much you can tell someone like him, he's just got to keep shooting. I didn't say anything to him [at halftime].

"He's a ball player and a gamer. He's a tough nut."

Nick Taylor had 17 points and Hooper added 10 for the Tigers, who remained unbeaten in conference play at 7-0.

"We played better as a team than we usually do," Hooper said. "And we stayed focused. We wanted it more than they did."

Spring Creek (12-3 overall, 6-1 CC) doesn't have much time to dwell on the loss, however, with three road games on the schedule next week.

They'll see the Tigers again Feb. 10 at "The Swamp."

And what a game it will be.