GAME SIX: SEMI FINAL II KASHMERE RAMS (1975) Head Coach: Weldon Drew STARTERS Kashmere Rams (46-0) Madison Lane 6’1 Karl Godine 6’4 Henry Small 6’5 Carl Byrd 6’3 Jarvis Williams 6’7
vs.
WILLOWRIDGE EAGLES (2001) Head Coach: Ronnie Courtney Willowridge Eagles (39-0) Terrance “TJ” Ford 5’10 Daniel Ewing 6’3 Kenny Taylor 6’3 Andre Watson 6’7 Curtis Walker 6’9
THE TIP OFF: This game was sold out two days in advance. Once game day arrived, the tip-off was delayed 45 minutes after Willowridge’s Curtis Walker yanked on the rim a bit too hard during pre-game warm ups. Daniel Ewing was matched up against Karl Godine. But more interesting was the interesting duel on the blocks between Walker and Jarvis Williams. Madison Lane opened the game guarding TJ Ford. On the opening possession, Lane shook his head acknowledging that it was about to be “on” in Ford’s life. In response, Ford simply gave Lane one of those “yeah-right” smiles he had displayed to pretty much every single opposing point guard who dared to issue such a challenge. The game was fast paced, and it without question primed to be a dandy. With 3:00 left in the opening period Lane scored his first basket – a short jumper over Ford to knot the score at 24. Ewing and Godine engaged in a sequence of trash talking as well. To be quite honest, Ewing got the best of the battle, that is until he was whistled for his second foul just before the period concluded. Godine made both free throws and Kashmere led 31-24 at the end of period one. Isaac “Tree” Rollins and Ralph Vivarette entered the game for Walker and Andre Watson. Kashmere subbed in Carl Belcher for Carl Byrd which yielded the Rams some additional beef on the inside. Moments later, Vivarette and Belcher had to be separated after Vivarette grabbed Belcher’s arm while trying to prevent him from scoring a point blank lay-up. After Belcher hit both free throws, Henry Small ripped “Tree” Rollins and dashed to the rim for a dunk. Kashmere had their biggest lead, 45-34 and the Ram Nation clad in red-white & blue attire went wild. After a much needed time-out, Willowridge managed to collect themselves and finished the half with eight unanswered points, including back to back treys by Kenny Taylor. As Kashmere set up for the last shot, Lane had his pocket picked by Ford. Lane wisely fouled Ford rather than allow him to go in for an uncontested lay-in, or in this case, possibly a slam dunk. As he went to the stripe, Ford glanced over to Lane and gave him a confident wink. As he knocked down both attempts, the Eagle fans seized the opportunity to blast out their infamous free throw chant that had made opponents steaming mad: “Swoosh-Beach-Beach-Beach”, but of course many of the students (as well as a selected few crazed fans) substituted “Beach” for another word that sounds the same. Kashmere held a narrow 45-44 lead to start the third quarter. The world famous K-Ram Stage Band had just performed a hit from the popular 1970’s group GT Express, and this place was rocking. Godine hit two shots from the same spot to put the Rams up five. Walker answered with a bank shot. Lane’s behind the back pass caught Small in stride to the rim for an explosive dunk. TJ penetrated and kicked 36
