GAME SIX: SEMI FINAL II

KASHMERE RAMS (1975) vs. WILLOWRIDGE EAGLES (2001)

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

THE TIP OFF:

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

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 it back out to Taylor for a wide open three, nothing but net. The rest of the quarter was pretty much the same fast paced tempo that kept the fans and coaches sweating profusely. Again, the margin was five points when Lane knocked down a fade away jumper over reserve Brandon Chaison who had just entered the game. Lane looked over to Willowridge coach Ronnie Courtney and whispered, “Better put him (Ford) back in, coach”.

Two possessions later, Ewing was hit with his 4th foul, after attempting to take a charge from Godine. That prompted Coach Courtney to call a time-out and blast the officials for the unbalance of fouls called combined with no one warning Lane for his recent comments directed at him. Of course, Ford subbed back in the game, and so did Watson for the Eagles. By the time the buzzer sounded, Kashmere had put together a 32 point quarter to take a 77-71 lead.

Rollins opened the 4th quarter with a baby hook over the extended arms of Williams. Then, Ewing drilled a 15 footer to bring the Eagles within a single possession. However, a put-back by Byrd negated that mini-run. With just under 4:00 left, Kashmere led 93-86.

Godine split two defenders, and hit an acrobatic double pump basket. Ford countered with his only three pointer of the game. Lane misfired on the other end, and Taylor grabbed the rebound with a quick outlet to Ford, who in turn, found Ewing ahead of the defense for an easy dunk. Belcher posted on the left black, and was fouled pretty hard by Walker. Belcher took a swing at Walker, and both players were ejected. After sorting out the free throws and everything, Kashmere led by 5 points with only :46 left in the game.

Ford split two defenders and dished a no-look pass to Watson for a hard slam. Kashmere, leading by three, went into their stall offense. Willowridge had to foul. Ewing picked up his 5th foul which sent Small to the line, shooting a one-plus-one situation. The clock stood still at :13. Willowridge called a time-out to “ice” Small, and it worked. The ball hit the back of the rim, Rollins got the rebound and flipped the outlet to Ford. He darted up the court and Lane (instead of commonly fouling him) grabbed Ford’s jersey and the momentum of the contact caused Ford to awkwardly fall into the scorer’s table. Lane was whistled for a flagrant foul which yielded two shots and the ball. Kashmere’s Coach Weldon Drew went berserk. A brief scuffle broke out and two fans had to be escorted out of the gym.

Once order was restored on the court, WIllowridge received two free throws, and the possession. Trailing 95-92 with only :07 left, Ford calmly sank the first one. Right on cue, it sounded like every WIllowridge fan in the building joined in yelling that antagonizing chant. Two more fans were escorted out of the gym, including two ladies wearing blue wigs and replica ref shirts. Kashmere called a time out and returned the favor by “icing” Ford. Guess what? It worked, too. The rebound was grabbed by Williams who was quickly fouled by Taylor. Only one second went off the clock. Willowridge called their last time out. Williams lined up and short rimmed the front end of the one-plusone. Parsons hauled in the rebound, and gave it to Ford. Five….. Four…. As he dribbled up the court, Watson set a sideline pick to free up Taylor. Ford passed him a one handed strike. Three…Two… Taylor caught and stepped right into the shot from the volleyball line. One…. (you can make the buzzer sound with your mouth right now). You could hear heartbeats thumping throughout the gym. The horn sounded just as the ball ricocheted from inside the white square, into the rim, and through the nets to give Willowridge the 96-95 thrilling victory over previously unbeaten Kashmere. Wow! What a game.

Ewing led the Eagles with 23 points, followed by Taylor 21, Walker 14p 11r, Rollins 13p 10r, Ford 12p 11a. The Rams were paced by Godine’s 29p. Lane and Small had 15 apiece while Williams and Belcher added 14 each. Willowridge advances to the championship to face Wheatley!