Spartans Hang On For The Region
Melrose Comes Back But Station Shows Poise
After Tuesday night’s win against Central, you can say anything is possible in Memphis high school basketball. Coming all the way back the other night down 22, you had to think that White Station was on cloud nine and thinking about their biggest game of the season thus far against Melrose. Coach Johnson’s squad took care of business Tuesday night against Ridgeway but this was what many of their fans had been waiting on and they got it Thursday night. The first possession of the game was intense as Chris Jones from Melrose quickly got in Joe Jackson hip pocket but it wasn’t him who hurt them at first. Sophmore Andre Hollins got off to a quick start hitting two 3-pointer but it was still only a 2 point lead after an Adonis Thomas pull up in transition. An 11-0 run by the Spartans put them ahead 21-10 going into the 2nd quarter as White Station hoped to stretch the lead a little more. They found themselves up 31-16 as Melrose’s offense abandoned them for 3 minutes of the quarter. The Spartans were making it look easy as they entered the second half at one attaining a 22 point lead, 50-28 at the 3:30 mark of the 3rd quarter. Thomas got the Melrose faithful out of their seats with a one hand dunk off the rim and a put back plus the foul as Melrose started to come alive a little. The Golden Wildcats started to get some breaks but they couldn’t get some shots to fall as they still found themselves down 53-39 entering the final period. After their comeback against Central being down so much, you would think they would have learned one thing, when your up, good shot selection is key but Station was still being aggressive and it back fired a little as Melrose started to believe they could come back. They cut the lead to 9, but Station regained a 10 point lead thanks to a Patrick Coleman put back however the Spartans continued poor shot selection and time management as Melrose kept creeping and creeping back in it. Chris Jones hit a short jumper but senior Chris Mason’s gutsy drive tied the score 65-65 with 58 seconds left. Mason then put his team up for the first time in the game with 37seconds as the White Station hopeful wondered where their 20 point lead went. Melrose would have a chance to ice the deal as White Station missed a basket that would have tied prompting a foul by the Spartans. Chris Jones stepped to the line and missed 2 big free throws giving Station another opportunity that Joe Jackson took advantage of. He would drive to the middle of Melrose D’s drawing a blocking foul allowing him to make 2 make two free throws and send the game into overtime. Melrose quickly went inside to Nate Rucker who used his powerful frame to out muscle Marvin Willilams but Williams would have the last laugh. Jackson who had a game high of 30 points drove into the lane forcing Melrose to collapse on him making it available for a nice from him to Williams. Williams would then again score on a lay up as White Station went up, 83-79. Mason would get a 2 plus a foul but they still needed a mistake by White Station. They almost got their break but Jackson hit one of two free throws as Coach Patino’s squad got the victory, 86-80 and a regional championship.
Jackson led all scorers with 30 points. Hall played as well as I’ve seen him all year scoring 19 points including some big blocks down the stretch. Jones paced Melrose with 21 with Thomas scoring 18 and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Boys All Region
1.Allen Farmer- Fairley High
2.Terry Leake- Whitehaven High
3.Darious Paige-Southwind High
4.Ian Clark- Germantown High
5.Tarik Black- Ridgeway High
6.Kris Brewer- Ridgeway High
7.Jarnell Stokes- Centrla High
8.Tyler Stone- Central High
9.Adonis Thomas- Melrose High
10.Nate Rucker- Melrose High
11.Chris Jones- Melrose High
12.Harry Green- White Station High
13.Ferrakhan Hall- White Station High
14.Andre Hollins- White Station High
15.Joe Jackson- White Station High (MVP)
Melrose Comes Back But Station Shows Poise
After Tuesday night’s win against Central, you can say anything is possible in Memphis high school basketball. Coming all the way back the other night down 22, you had to think that White Station was on cloud nine and thinking about their biggest game of the season thus far against Melrose. Coach Johnson’s squad took care of business Tuesday night against Ridgeway but this was what many of their fans had been waiting on and they got it Thursday night. The first possession of the game was intense as Chris Jones from Melrose quickly got in Joe Jackson hip pocket but it wasn’t him who hurt them at first. Sophmore Andre Hollins got off to a quick start hitting two 3-pointer but it was still only a 2 point lead after an Adonis Thomas pull up in transition. An 11-0 run by the Spartans put them ahead 21-10 going into the 2nd quarter as White Station hoped to stretch the lead a little more. They found themselves up 31-16 as Melrose’s offense abandoned them for 3 minutes of the quarter. The Spartans were making it look easy as they entered the second half at one attaining a 22 point lead, 50-28 at the 3:30 mark of the 3rd quarter. Thomas got the Melrose faithful out of their seats with a one hand dunk off the rim and a put back plus the foul as Melrose started to come alive a little. The Golden Wildcats started to get some breaks but they couldn’t get some shots to fall as they still found themselves down 53-39 entering the final period. After their comeback against Central being down so much, you would think they would have learned one thing, when your up, good shot selection is key but Station was still being aggressive and it back fired a little as Melrose started to believe they could come back. They cut the lead to 9, but Station regained a 10 point lead thanks to a Patrick Coleman put back however the Spartans continued poor shot selection and time management as Melrose kept creeping and creeping back in it. Chris Jones hit a short jumper but senior Chris Mason’s gutsy drive tied the score 65-65 with 58 seconds left. Mason then put his team up for the first time in the game with 37seconds as the White Station hopeful wondered where their 20 point lead went. Melrose would have a chance to ice the deal as White Station missed a basket that would have tied prompting a foul by the Spartans. Chris Jones stepped to the line and missed 2 big free throws giving Station another opportunity that Joe Jackson took advantage of. He would drive to the middle of Melrose D’s drawing a blocking foul allowing him to make 2 make two free throws and send the game into overtime. Melrose quickly went inside to Nate Rucker who used his powerful frame to out muscle Marvin Willilams but Williams would have the last laugh. Jackson who had a game high of 30 points drove into the lane forcing Melrose to collapse on him making it available for a nice from him to Williams. Williams would then again score on a lay up as White Station went up, 83-79. Mason would get a 2 plus a foul but they still needed a mistake by White Station. They almost got their break but Jackson hit one of two free throws as Coach Patino’s squad got the victory, 86-80 and a regional championship.
Jackson led all scorers with 30 points. Hall played as well as I’ve seen him all year scoring 19 points including some big blocks down the stretch. Jones paced Melrose with 21 with Thomas scoring 18 and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Boys All Region
1.Allen Farmer- Fairley High
2.Terry Leake- Whitehaven High
3.Darious Paige-Southwind High
4.Ian Clark- Germantown High
5.Tarik Black- Ridgeway High
6.Kris Brewer- Ridgeway High
7.Jarnell Stokes- Centrla High
8.Tyler Stone- Central High
9.Adonis Thomas- Melrose High
10.Nate Rucker- Melrose High
11.Chris Jones- Melrose High
12.Harry Green- White Station High
13.Ferrakhan Hall- White Station High
14.Andre Hollins- White Station High
15.Joe Jackson- White Station High (MVP)