Zwolle hit free throws to repel Pitkin
Published 7:00 pm Thursday, March 8, 2018
The Pitkin Tigers took Zwolle down to the wire, but the Hawks held on to win 48-41 in a Class B semifinal Wednesday at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Marsh Madness state basketball tournament at Burton Coliseum.
“These guys understood they were an 11 seed,” Pitkin head coach Jake Greene said of his team. “They played hungry in the second half.
“We had a chance to take the lead when we got down by two points. The never-quit attitude is what kept them in the game. We talked before the game about having great faith. Our game plan was to keep the ball out of the paint, rebound and take care of the ball. We were doing those things fine, but whenever we stopped them we turned the ball over and gave them an easy bucket.”
No. 2 Zwolle (33-9), a 15-time state champion, took a 26-13 lead on a pair of Maurice Shelby free throws with 37 seconds left in the second quarter.
Sophomore Garrett Edwards, who scored a game-high 23 points, sparked the Tigers’ rally with a 3-pointer from the corner with 4:11 left to cut the deficit to 39-34.
“In the second half, when I hit the 3 pointer from the corner, I told myself let’s go and I knew we had to bring the defensive fire,” Edwards said. “We were back in it and I felt like we were just playing on a regular stage.”
Pitkin’s Kyle McKee hit a 3 and Hunter Lockhart’s putback with 26 seconds left made it a two-point game. But Pitkin was forced to foul, sending the Hawks to the line eight times over the final 25 seconds and Jordan Walker going 4-for-4 to seal the win.
LaDarius Cutright led Zwolle with 22 points and 10 rebounds and Walker had eight points and 10 rebounds.
FILE: Pitkin’s Garrett Edwards (3) drives the baseline past the defense of Zwolle’s Jermaine Williams (1) during the LHSAA Marsh Madness Class B semi-final at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Wednesday, March 7, 2018.
Pitkin’s Garrett Edwards (3) draws the charge during a layup attempt by Zwolle’s Maurice Shelby Jr. (32) in the 1st quarter of the Class B semifinal round of the LHSAA Boy’s Marsh Madness State Basketball Championships at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles, La., Wednesday, March 7, 2018.
FILE: Pitkin’s Garrett Edwards (3) puts in the layup and is fouled by Zwolle’s Maurice Shelby Jr. (32) in the 4th quarter of the Class B semifinal round of the LHSAA Boy’s Marsh Madness State Basketball Championships at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles, La., Wednesday, March 7, 2018.
