TC @ West - January 2, 2009

We lost the game, but it was really close the whole time. Matthew had a shot to tie in the last second with a 3 point shot that was tipped by a TC player. He had 15 for the game with three 3 pointers!

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Roberson tops West boys, girls

By Jeremy Trantham
Times-News Staff Writer

Published: Saturday, January 3, 2009 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, January 2, 2009 at 11:33 p.m.

To foul, or not to foul? That was the question West Henderson posed to T.C. Roberson on Friday.

Faced with the same scenario as last year — a three-point lead with time winding down — Roberson coach Kevin Keen wasn’t about to let history repeat itself. The Rams were going to foul before the Falcons could get off a potential game-tying 3-pointer.

That strategy, and a healthy 21-4 edge in offensive rebounding, helped the Rams (9-3) hold on for a 66-63 nonconference win. Six-foot-seven forward Tim Carpenter, who finished with a game-high 16 points, helped Roberson hammer West on the glass.

“We just really struggle on the glass and some of it’s our size,” said West coach Rob Bliss. “Some of it you can understand but not to point that it’s 21-4. I can think of at least two instances I can think of it turning into a three-point play.”

Aided by Roberson’s 10-for-22 night at the foul line, West still had a chance to force overtime. Trailing 64-61, the Falcons (5-6) took possession with 13.9 seconds remaining. The Rams fouled Kagan Williams (13 points) as he dribbled across half court. Williams hit both free throws with 8.8 seconds remaining.

“We talked about it a lot,” said Keen of the situation. “Will we (foul)? Won’t we? Last season, (Zach) Corliss hit a 3 to tie the game and send it into overtime and we then we lost. The foul was too quick, but luckily we made two free throws to get (the lead) back to three. We were going to foul again but they passed it before we could.”

The strategy didn’t surprise Bliss.

“Not with their size,” he said. “They’ve got to be pretty confident they can get it off the defensive board.”

Carpenter answered Williams with a pair from the line and West’s final three-point shot to send the game into extra time sailed wide as the buzzer sounded.

Matt Roberts scored a team-high 15 points for West while Kevin Thomas added 13, including a 3-pointer with 13.9 seconds left to cut the Ram lead to two. The Falcons hit 10-of-25 (40 percent) from behind the arc.

“For two games in a row we’ve played with the kind of intensity it takes to win,” Bliss said. “We’ve just got to get better at our execution.”

Four Rams — Carpenter, John Moody (14), John Winkenwerder (13) and Austin Patton (10) — scored in double figures.

Keen was left impressed with West’s improvement since the two teams’ first meeting, a 56-37 Roberson win on Dec. 5.

“The first time we played at their pace, strictly a walk-it-up-the-floor game,” Bliss said.

The experienced and talented Lady Rams had not problem in the girls game, racing to a 53-15 halftime lead and then tightening up the defense in the second half for a 74-18 victory.

Senior Maria Young scored a game-high 18 points for Roberson.

Kaitlyn Burton scored five for West, which will travel to Enka on Tuesday before opening Western Athletic Conference play on Friday.

SUMMARIES

BOYS

ROBERSON (66) — John Moody 14, Darity 2, Austin Patton 10, Wrenn, Gailey 2, John Winkenwerder 13, Fields 3, Joe Winkenwerder 6, Pressley, Tim Carpenter 16.

WEST (63) — Thelen, Young 9, Matt Roberts 15, Kagan Williams 13, Troutman 6, Kevin Thomas 13, Hyatt 7, VanWingerden.

Halftime: Roberson, 31-25.

GIRLS

ROBERSON (74) — Feimster, Edmonds 9, Chasity Devlin 13, Tee’Ara Copney 13, Duff 3, Yazmean Burgess 10, Maria Young 18, Terry 4, Love 6.

WEST (18) — Kremer, Cantrell 4, Burton 5, Turlington 3, Bishop 1, Stewart, Ciaramitaro, Rogers 3, Dinardo 2.

Halftime: Roberson, 53-15.