Saturday, March 25, 2000
Purcell loses state final in OT
BY RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer
Keith Jackson had 14 points but fouled out in OT.
(AP photo)
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Eric Sanders banked in two free throws in the final 1:22 of overtime and Warrensville Heights survived three shots in the last 12 seconds by Purcell Marian to win the Division II state championship, 76-74, taking home the trophy in their first trip ever to the final four.
Purcell Marian (24-4), ranked sixth in the regular-season Associated Press poll, had a 16-point lead after the first period and a 12-point lead going into the fourth period only to see Warrensville Heights roar back each time.
“We've been down 15 or 20 points throughout the season and the kids have always roared back,” coach Warrensville Heights coach Dennis Chimes said.
Jaime Cooper scored 25 points and Keith Jackson added 14 for the Cavaliers, but both fouled out in the overtime. Brandon Salamone finished with 12 points.
First-team All-Ohioan Julius “Juby” Johnson scored 28 points for the Tigers (25-2), but hit just 10-of-25 shots from the field. Sanders, however, always seemed to come up with a pivotal rebound, defensive play or a big shot when the 18th-ranked Tigers needed it most.
A Johnson 3-pointer with 41 seconds left provided the final points of regulation, with Salome missing a wild 3-pointer with 3 seconds left. The rebound came to Doug Swann, but his shot at the buzzer was blocked by Sanders.
Warrensville Heights quickly reeled off the first six points of the overtime. Johnson slashed in from the right wing for a scoop shot, with Jawara Brooks intercepting a crosscourt pass seconds later and scoring on the drive. After Purcell (24-4) missed two shots, Brooks hit a 10-footer in the lane to make it 71-65 with 2:17 left in the overtime.
Johnson, who finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds in only 21 minutes because of heavy foul trouble, had banked in a foul shot in the fourth quarter. He hit only half of his 14 foul shots and the Tigers weren't a whole lot better, making 20 of 38.
Johnson banked in the second of a two-shot situation with 1:22 left to make it 73-69, then made two more foul shots — banking in the second — at the 1:06 mark for a 75-71 lead.
Tony Fulks, in the lineup because three Purcell starters had fouled out, scored on a three-point play with 35.7 seconds remaining to cut the gap to 76-74.
Christian Moore missed two free throws for Warrensville Heights, but Johnson rebounded the second and was fouled with 22.6 seconds left. He also missed both shots and Purcell rebounded, calling timeout to set up its last assault.
Just as at the end of regulation, Salamone dribbled downfloor and tossed up a wild 3-pointer with 12 seconds remaining. Teammate Mike Sanders rebounded and his 10-footer bounded off the rim with 6 seconds left. Purcell got another chance when Brandon Reid got the rebound and popped a quick shot from 8 feet in traffic with 3 seconds left, but his shot also bounded away.
“There wasn't much creativity because our hands were tied with the people we had on the court,” Purcell Marian coach Mike Gergen said.
The final buzzer set off a wild celebration on the court for the Tigers.
“Some teams are scared of us,” Johnson said. “But when they started bumping us and we started bumping them, we knew it was going to be a war.”
Edsel Alexander added 19 points and Brooks had 12 for Warrensville Heights, which beat Lima Shawnee 81-70 in the semifinals.
Warrensville Heights hit all three of its shots from the field in the overtime and won despite making just 5 of 12 shots from the line in the extra period.
Purcell Marian won the 1985 big-school title in its only previous trip to the state tournament.
WARRENSVILLE HTS. (25-2) — Sanders 2-4 7-14 11, J.Johnson 10-25 5-9 28, Alexander 6-13 6-10 19, Brooks 4-14 2-2 12, Yancy 0-1 0-0 0, D.Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, L.Johnson 1-2 0-0 2, Moore 2-2 0-3 4, Rattliff 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-62 20-38 76.
PURCELL MARIAN (24-4) — J.Cooper 10-25 5-6 25, Jackson 3-8 8-11 14, Cooper 2-3 0-0 4, Salamone 5-13 0-0 12, Fullman 2-4 2-2 6, Sanders 0-3 0-0 0, Fulks 1-2 3-4 5, Reid 0-0 0-0 0, Swann 3-5 2-5 8. Totals 26-63 20-28 74.
Warrensville Hts. 7 15 14 29 11—76
Purcell Marian 23 6 19 17 9—74
3-point goals—Warrensville Hts. 6-17 (J.Johnson 3-7, Brooks 2-7, Alexander 1-3), Cin. Purcell Marian 2-9 (Salamone 2-7, J.Cooper 0-1, Jackson 0-1). Fouled out—J.Cooper, Jackson, H.Cooper, Swann. Rebounds—Warrensville Hts. 37 (Sanders 10), Cin. Purcell Marian 45 (Jackson, Swann 10). Assists—Warrensville Hts. 3 (Alexander, Brooks, Moore 1), Cin. Purcell Marian 12 (J.Cooper, H.Cooper 4). Total fouls—Warrensville Hts. 22, Cin. Purcell Marian 28. A—12,656.
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