Freedom boys suffer excruciating loss

By HUGH RIST For the News & Messenger
Published: February 26, 2008

STAFFORD — In basketball, the fortunes are sometimes cruel and for Freedom sophomore guard Joseph Fears on Tuesday, the fortunes were not just cruel — they were excruciating.

After inbounding the ball with 5.4 seconds left, Fears, who hit two crucial baskets last Saturday to seal Freedom’s Cardinal District finals victory over Hylton, dribbled before trying a short jumper that just missed. Brandon McLilly’s putback attempt went in, but the officials ruled the basket went in just after the buzzer as host Mountain View held on for a 56-54 victory in the North-west Region quarterfinals.

“We got the shot we wanted in that spot,” Freedom coach Ahmad Dorsett said. “We just couldn’t get it in and that happens. It just wasn’t our night tonight.”

Perhaps more disappointing and painful for Freedom (14-11) was the fact that the Eagles, which led by as many as 12 points early, could not close out the Commonwealth District’s top team. Moun-tain View (19-7) trailed 54-51 with 56 seconds left after Sadonis Davis and McLilly each made layups within seven seconds of each other.

However, on the ensuing possession, the Wildcats’ Marcus Quarles grabbed offensive rebounds on three consecutive misses by Mountain View. With 27.9 seconds left, Mountain View’s Derek Mosley, who was 10 of 14 from the field in the game and finished with 25 points, drilled a three-pointer to tie the game.

Dorsett said that sequence was the difference.

“Obviously, if we can come up with the rebound there, we come up with the victory,” Dorsett said. “Things just didn’t go our way tonight. We didn’t get any calls inside ... but that’s basketball. I am not going to say anything about the officials, when we just weren’t able to finish. That’s the bottom line.”

Freedom used hot shooting and a stingy defense in the first quarter to take a 16-8 lead. Mountain View made just 3 of 13 shots in the first quarter (23 percent) and turned the ball over four times. Freedom, which shot 50 percent from the field in the first half (15 for 30), scored several baskets inside in the first quarter before beginning to shoot from the perimeter in the second quarter.

Mountain View used strong shooting from the three-point line (4 of 7) to erase a 22-12 deficit early in the second quarter. Freedom led 32-26 at halftime.

Freedom was unable to contain Mountain View in the second half as easily as it did the first half. The Wildcats made 41 percent of their shots (11 of 27) from the field, including five three-pointers. Meanwhile, the Eagles made just 3 of 11 shots in the fourth quarter (27 percent).

Despite the loss, and the way the game and the season ended for Freedom, Dorsett said he was very pleased with the way his team played.

“I couldn’t be prouder of my kids,” Dorsett said. “For us to be where we are after losing the (four seniors) we lost last year is a real tribute to them. This kind of a game gives (the young players) a chance to know what it takes to win this kind of a basketball game and that is a real boost for us going into next season.”

Davis led Freedom with 16 points, while McLilly added 12.