The Gardner-Whitworth 5th grade boys basketball team's hard work and dedication finally paid off and brought forth a stunning victory as they came from behind to defeat Blue Cross/Blue Shield 24-20 on Saturday, February 20, 2010. The win gives Gardner a 1-3 record with one game left on the schedule to be played two weeks from today at noon on Saturday, March 6, 2010.
Each week Gardner-Whitworth has shown steady improvement on both ends of the court, and today was no exception. Damien Ferguson scored the first basket of the contest midway through the opening period to give Gardner a 2-0 lead, but 2 baskets by Davis Johnson and 1 by Bryce Hampton put Blue Cross up 6-2 as the quarter ended.
The Gardner boys did much better in the second period as Damien Ferguson, Brock Rawlings and Sawyer Overton each scored 1 field goal, while Cole Diepholz had his first basket of the game for Blue Cross. Dylan Miner chipped in 2 free throws and Blue Cross led 10-8 at intermission.
Gardner had a lot of scoring opportunities in the third period, but only Cameron Brewer was able to connect from the field, and Blue Cross built up a 15-10 lead as the period came to a close. Cole Diepholz and Davis Johnson each had a basket for Blue Cross, and Diepholz also connected on his first of 5 made free throws.
The 4th quarter for the Gardner-Whitworth club was pure magic, as everything seemed to gel and come together for the boys on both ends of the court. Gardner went on a 14-5 run, leaving Blue Cross/Blue Shield and their fans in the dust in stunned amazement, bewildered as to just what hit them so fast and furiously. The smothering defense of Gardner so stymied the Blue Cross players that they were unable to make a single basket in the period, and they had to settle for 5 free throws.
Neither team gave up, which is highly commendable, but Gardner was able to rally by taking their game to a higher level. Everyone on Gardner who played was instrumental in the team's victory. Corey Van Houtin had a key block on Davis Johnson in the third period as Corey dropped down from the wing defensively when Johnson went to the corner to take his shot. Had Corey not blocked the shot, the team might not have won the game.
Joshua Lunsford, who had to come in to play in the 4th period to replace Hunter Miller who had fouled out, had a big defensive rebound, keeping Cole Diepholz off the offensive glass. Gardner was down 5 points at the time, and had Joshua not grabbed the board, Gardner might not have won.
Hunter Miller did an extremely excellent job defensively playing at the top of the 1-3-1 trapping zone defense, causing many turnovers. This also took considerable pressure off of some of his own teammates, too, which was incalculably beneficial and crucial for the victory. What made this even more amazing was that Hunter had only one and a half practices to learn this position as he normally plays on the wing. Had Hunter not stepped up defensively and caused all the turnovers he did while playing this new position, Gardner-Whitworth may have lost the game.
Brock Rawlings was great on both sides of the ball, too. He really mixed it up well, grabbing 3 offensive rebounds and pulling down 1 defensive board. Brock also had a field goal in the second period, but what turned out to be his most crucial play of the game was when Brock connected on both ends of a 1 and 1 opportunity in the 4th quarter. His free throws pulled Gardner to within 3 points of Blue Cross when he calmly sank his free throws. Had Brock missed either of these free throw attempts, particularly the first one, Gardner most likely loses the game.
Sawyer Overton did not let a slow start keep him from playing another excellent game. Sawyer missed his first 4 attempts from the field, but he ended up with 6 points on two baskets and 2 made free throws. None were more important than when he connected on a field goal with just 28 seconds remaining in the game and Gardner trailing by 3 points. Damien Ferguson hit Sawyer down low under the basket with a pass just as Sawyer had freed himself from his defender. Sawyer went up for the shot, making the basket as he was fouled, sending himself to the charity stripe with his team down by 1 point and the game on the line. Cool as a cucumber on crushed ice, Sawyer calmly put the shot up, hitting nothing but net as the string music rang beautifully throughout Riddle Gymnasium. The score was now netted at 20 points each. Had Sawyer not made these shots under pressure, Gardner most likely loses the game.
Cameron Brewer continues to grow as a player and as a team leader with each passing game. Cameron was given the task of keeping Cole Diepholz from the offensive glass, and he did just that, pulling down an amazing 10 defensive boards. Cameron is also coming into his own defensively, really beginning to understand the 1-3-1 defense, and he turned that understanding into 5 steals. Cameron also hit 2 free throws to go along with 2 baskets from the field to finish with 6 points, but his last basket was the most important of them all. After Blue Cross called time out with 15 seconds remaining, the Gardner-Whitworth coach implored his team to make the defensive stance of their lives, get the ball and put it into the basket at the offensive end of the floor. And that is exactly what they did. Blue Cross tried hard to get the ball into the hands of Cole Diepholz, but a swarm of yellow-shirted Gardner-Whitworth players encircled him, including Sawyer Overton and Damien Ferguson, both of whom were playing with 4 fouls. Damien stole the ball from Diepholz, spotted his point guard, Cameron Brewer, racing ahead down the floor and all alone, and Damien hit him with a perfect pass. Cameron caught it in stride for a lay-up and 2 points, putting Gardner up 22-20 with 4.3 seconds remaining. Had Cameron not made that basket, Gardner-Whitworth may have lost the game.
Damien Ferguson had 5 steals for Gardner, and none were as important as his last 2. The second to the last steal came with under 15 seconds remaining in which he had the assist to Cameron Brewer, and then his last steal occurred as Blue Cross threw the ball in after Cameron's basket put Gardner up by 2. Damien pilfered the inbounds pass and drove to the hoop, knocking in the last basket of the game and sealing the victory for Gardner-Whitworth 24-20. If Damien did not make that steal and basket, it would have been possible for Blue Cross to have won the game on a last second basket and foul. And the way Cole Diepholz was stroking his free throws, that was very much a distinct and strong possibility.
Although Griffin Luce was out of town and unavailable to play in the game, I believe he, too, contributed greatly to today's victory. All this past week Griffin was at the team's practices, and he always hustles and works very hard, making his teammates better players in the process. Had Griffin not given his all at the team's practices, chances are his teammates would not have been as prepared as they were for today's contest, and they may have lost the game.
One of the things of which I am most proud of is also something that shows the character of this squad, and it is this. Hunter Miller and Corey Van Houtin were screaming their heads off and encouraging and cheering their teammates on from the bench all throughout the comeback. If that does not show someone just how much they pull for each other, and the type of character this team has, then I do not know what would.
Gardner-Whitworth would not have won today's contest without the help and encouragement of Assistant Coach Leah Rawlings. Leah has been an outstanding assistant coach all season long, and she has really helped the kids learn how to play and love the game of basketball. She has offered keen insights that have helped and benefited the team immensely, and all of the kids have responded very favorably to her. If it was not for all of the hard work and dedication that Leah has put in as assistant baskletball coach, we may not have won this game.
Lastly, the game may not have been won without the support of the boys' families and friends. I was told today after our game by one of the league officials that the game before ours, in which an undefeated team was playing, there were maybe 10 people who showed up to watch it. But every week when we play the gym always fills up to capacity, and that is for a team that had not yet won a game. But these kids have worked so hard, and they have always pulled for each other from the very beginning, and their familes know this and they appreciate the effort shown by the boys. As a coach I can honestly say that I am very proud of these boys and what they have accomplished together as a team. They have never had any disciplinary problems, and the parents have been fantastic and extremely supportive getting them to practices and games. If it was not for the support of their families, friends and fans, they may have not won today's ball game.
Gardner never gave up, but when they fell behind 15-8 late in the 3rd quarter, their coach called for a time-out at the 2:43 mark. He felt that his team had not yet given up on themselves, but that they were dangerously close to doing so. So he told them they were too good to let that happen, and they had worked too hard and come too far just to let it slip away from their grasp. He got the boys to yell for the whole crowd to hear three times in succession, "WE ARE!" when he asked the boys three times, "Who's going to win?" He saw the look in their eyes as they said it, and he heard the conviction in their voices as their boisterous and exuberant cries rattled across the court, and he knew at that moment that some way, somehow, they would manage to pull out this remarkable and stunning victory.
With the team trailing 19-13 with 47.2 seconds showing on the clock and Cole Diepholz going to the line to shoot 2 free throws, the Gardner coach called timeout to ice Diepholz. The strategy worked partially as Cole missed the front end. He connected on the back end to put Blue Cross up 20-13, and from that point on Garder-Whitworth went on an 11-0 run to gain the victory. And the last 7 unanswered points came with less than 30 seconds remaining to tick off the game clock. It was truly a remarkable and memorable performance, and one for the ages. I hope all of these boys will cherish this memory for the rest of their lives.
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