April 13, 2007

Heart-breaking loss

Eagles rally to force overtime in NorCal title game, but fall short in overtime

After an improbable rally to tie the game in the final minute of regulation, the Oak Grove boys’ basketball team saw their hopes for a state championship bounce off of the rim – twice. Trailing by one point in the final seconds of overtime, the Eagles’ top two players, juniors Kelly Kaigler and Tyree McCrary, each had a shot from close range to win the game. Both shots danced off the rim, however, giving McClymonds High of Oakland a 69-68 victory in the Division I NorCal Championship Game and a birth in the state championship.

Oak Grove junior guard Kelly Kaigler goes up high for the lay-up during the CIF State Championship regional finals against the McClymond Warriors at the Stockton arena on March 17. Kaigler's shot would have given the Eagles the win in overtime, but it rolled out of the basket. Photo by Dan Miranda

The game was played at Stockton Arena on March 17 in front of a huge contingent of fans from both Bay Area schools. The loss ended the Eagles’ 18-game winning streak, and dropped their record to 29-2 for the season.

Despite being out-rebounded 45-29 by the powerhouse Warriors, Oak Grove more than held its own, earning a three-point lead after one period and a 30-29 lead at halftime.

True to the back-and-forth nature of the contest, both teams traded scoring runs early in the third quarter. The Eagles scored the first five points of the second half to open a 35-29 lead, but McClymonds scored the next eight points to take a two-point lead.

The Warriors led by four heading into the final period, but the Eagles continued to claw back. Senior Albert Lutz-Paap hit two huge shots in the fourth quarter to keep Oak Grove within striking distance.

On the first shot, McClymonds had built a six-point lead before Lutz-Paap converted a four-point play after being fouled while making a three-pointer. Lutz-Paap would repeat his heroics minutes later, nailing another three from the corner to pull the Eagles to within 57-55.

Kaigler scored a breakaway lay-up with just over three minutes remaining to tie the game, but the Warriors answered with three consecutive baskets to build a commanding six point lead in the final minute. But the Eagles two star players came to rescue.

McCrary grabbed two consecutive steals, the second coming on an inbounds pass, directly leading to back-to-back Kaigler lay-ups to cut the lead to two. After Oak Grove regained possession, McCrary scored a basket and was fouled, sending the Eagles’ sideline and fans into a frenzy. McCrary calmly knocked down the free throw, giving the Eagles a 64-63 lead with 22 second remaining.

McClymonds’ Antwon Graham forced overtime by making the second of two free throw attempts with 2.8 seconds remaining.

McCrary muscled up a basket with 47 seconds remaining in overtime to put the Eagles up by one, but McClymonds countered with a go-ahead basket of their own with 18 seconds remaining. Kaigler made a good drive to the basket and released a running floater in the lane that rimmed out. McCrary came down with the rebound, but his turnaround jumper at the buzzer also missed, causing several disappointed Eagles players to collapse to the ground at the end of this classic contest.

Kaigler led the Eagles with 19 points, and McCrary tallied 12 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks. On a team laded with junior talent, Oak Grove’s only two seniors, Marshawn Landrine and Lutz-Paap, combined for 31 points in their final high school game, with Landrine scoring 16 points and Lutz-Paap adding 15.

The young Eagles squad will return nine juniors and one sophomore for the 2007-08 season beginning next fall.