Mistakes lead to Stallions loss to Edison
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera South guard Tank Dickson pulls up for a jumper during an overtime loss to Edison.
The Madera South Stallions boys basketball team led the Edison-Fresno Tigers at the end of the first quarter, first half and third quarter, but it’s who has the lead at the end of the game that counts. The Tigers outscored the Stallions 23-15 in the fourth quarter and overtime for a 62-60 County/Metro Athletic Conference victory Wednesday at Madera South.
“We had a lot of mistakes, especially in the fourth quarter,” head coach Jody Sharp said. “We didn’t recognize what they were doing defensively. We didn’t box out and it hurt us. The overtime was the same thing. They dominated on the offensive glass because our guys wouldn’t sustain their block out.”
The Stallions are enjoying one of their best seasons in school history, but in four of their five losses, Madera South has held the lead in the fourth quarter.
“The problem we have is closing out teams,” Sharp said. “We lost to Buchanan and Centennial in the fourth quarter. We have to go to the line and make free throws, have to score and get rebounds. You have to do those things and, for whatever reason, we just don’t close those deals. We did against Bullard, but we didn’t do it tonight. We should have won the game in regulation. We missed free throws and don’t block off. We’re our own worst enemy right now.”
The Stallions led by six at the end of the third quarter, but the Tigers were in the midst of a 12-2 run for a four-point lead. The Stallions took the lead behind a Hakeem Primes 3-pointer, but Edison’s David Alcala put in an offensive rebound at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
The script played out again in the overtime. Primes gave the Stallions the lead with a 3-pointer, but instead of tying the game, Alcala won the game with an offensive putback, his fourth of the game, with three seconds left for the win.
“We broke down defensively at the end of regulation,” Sharp said. “When you break down, it’s going to be detrimental and it was at the end of the game for us.”
In the fourth quarter, Madera South made just three field goals and turned the ball over nine times. In the fourth quarter and overtime combined, Madera shot 29 percent (4-of-14) from the field and were 7-of-16 (44 percent) from the free throw line.
Hassan Bolden led the Stallions with 13 points to go with seven rebounds. Primes scored 10 points with five rebounds and three steals. Three Stallions scored eight points — David Thomas, Tank Dickson and Andre Johnson.
The Stallions got off to a quick lead after a layup from Bolden and a 3-pointer from Junior Segura. After an Edison point, Thomas hit a 15-foot jumper for a 7-1 lead.
Jonah Johnson answered an Edison bucket with a 3-pointer for a 10-3 lead.
Edison scored the next four points before Bolden scored on a 360-degree twisting layup. Bolden then hit a 3-pointer, which Edison answered, and Thomas closed out the first quarter with a 14-foot jumper for a 17-12 Madera South lead.
Thomas hit a 10-foot jumper to open the second quarter scoring. Andre Johnson answered an Edison bucket with a layup and a seven-point lead.
Edison scored 11 straight points to take a 25-21 lead.
However, the Stallions came back with a 10-0 run, started by a Primes layup. Dickson got a long rebound and went all the way for a layup and Johnson hit back-to-back 3-pointers.
Edison closed the first half with a layup for a 31-27 Madera South lead.
The Tigers opened the second half with an offensive putback. A jumper by Jonah Johnson and a layup from Segura gave the Stallions a six-point lead.
After an Edison 3-pointer, Bolden made a free throw, Segura made a driving layup and Thomas hit a jumper for a 40-32 lead.
An Edison layup cut the lead, but both teams couldn’t score for two minutes before Bolden hit a 3-pointer for an eight-point lead.
The Stallions missed nine of their last 10 shots in the third quarter and the Tigers scored on a layup at the end of the quarter for a 45-39 lead.
A lazy pass by the Stallions to open the fourth quarter turned into an Edison layup. The Tigers then followed with a 3-pointer, a free throw and a layup for a 10-0 run and a 47-45 lead.
Dickson tied the game with a runner, but the Tigers got two offensive putbacks from Alcala. After three straight Stallions turnovers, Dickson cut the lead in half with a short jumper.
The Stallions forced five straight Edison turnovers and got a Primes free throw and a Primes 3-pointer with 1:05 left in the game for a 53-51 lead.
Madera South got a steal on Edison’s next possession, but quickly gave it back on a traveling violation. The Stallions forced an Edison turnover, but gave the ball right back with a turnover of their own with 38.5 seconds left.
Madera South got the ball back and Bolden was fouled on an offensive rebound and hit two free throws for a 55-51 lead with 24.3 seconds left in the game.
The Tigers scored on an offensive rebound with 15.4 seconds left. Madera South missed a free throw with 13.2 seconds left. Edison moved the ball up the court and went in for a drive, but Bolden blocked the ball from behind. Both teams scrambled for the ball and Edison tried a 3-pointer for the win, but it missed. Alcala got the rebound and put it back up as time expired to tie the score at 55.
Edison scored the first points of overtime with a jumper, but Primes gave the Stallions the lead with a 3-pointer. Ralph White and Primes each made one-of-two free throws for a 60-57 lead with 1:18 left in overtime.
Edison cut the lead with two free throws with 1:10 left in the game and Madera South turned the ball over with a traveling violation.
Dickson got a steal from Edison with 43.6 seconds left in the game, but a missed shot and an over-the-back foul gave the Tigers a chance to win or tie the game.
Edison made the first free throw with 18.2 seconds left, but missed the second. Dickson came down with the rebound, but Edison tied him up for a jump ball, which Edison had possession.
The Tigers worked the ball around and got off a shot, but missed. However, Alcala was there for the offensive putback with three seconds left for the 62-60 Edison victory.
