Story by David Campbell
In a game that already featured 53 fouls, what’s one more?
The game winner.
Bryan’s Sterling Whitley banked a free throw with 1.9 seconds gave the Vikings a 70-69 win over A&M Consolidated in District 18-5A boys basketball action Tuesday at Tiger Gym.
“[Coach] told me to shoot it off my fingertips and shoot it soft,” Whitley said. “I shot it soft and hit the backboard and it went in. I didn’t call it.”
The winning bank-shot free throw, Whitley’s only point of the game, gave Bryan (12-9, 8-0) its first lead since the first quarter as the Vikings came off the ropes to remain undefeated in 18-5A play. Whitley’s free throw completed an 18-point second-half rally after Consol led 38-22 at halftime.
“It was a great effort,” Bryan coach Chris Jones said. “We didn’t get some shots to go, but we stayed after it on the boards. The guys picked up the intensity and focus and stayed with it. We came out a little flat and got it going in the second half.”
A critical double foul with 1:43 left in the game hurt the Tigers’ upset bid. Consol (13-13, 3-5) lost 6-foot-2 junior guard Trey Pulliam in the exchange with his fifth foul. Pulliam, who had 17 points, had displayed a knee-buckling crossover dribble whenever he needed it. The Tigers lost his ability to drive and the free-throw shooting that could have come with it — Pulliam hit 7 of 8 free throws.
Consol didn’t losing the lead until 22 seconds were left, when Eric Bazy set up Quaylon Newton for a tying bucket inside to even the game at 69. The Tigers missed their attempt to regain the lead, and when Whitley grabbed the ball, officials called a foul as the buzzer sounded.
Officials huddled and determined there was time remaining, and Whitley walked to the other end of the court to hit the winning free throw.
Bryan chipped away at the lead throughout the fourth quarter and got a emotional boost when Christian Ely swished the Vikings’ only 3-pointer of the game to cut the Tigers’ advantage to 59-57.
With two minutes remaining, Consol sophomore Tre Flowers connected on two free throws, pushing his point total to a game-high 31 and giving the Tigers a 67-63 edge. The Tigers appeared set to get the ball back, but Newton made a leaping play jumping out of bounds in the corner and got the ball back to B.J. Ross, who scored for Bryan.
Garrett Peters followed with two free throws, but the Vikings countered with one each from B.J. Ross and Newton, setting up Newton’ game-tying bucket in the lane.
Darius Ross, easily Bryan’s most consistent threat to score in the lane, had a team-best 22 points and was good on 6 of 9 free throws. As a team, the Vikings hit only 17 of 35 free-throw tries. Newton had 18 points, and A.J. Lawson fouled out with 13.
“We came out and took a good punch from [Consol],” Jones said. “They played hard. Their kids really got after it and made shots. We didn’t make shots early.”
Jones cherished the fact that Bryan had to come from behind — and did — to remain atop the 18-5A standings.
“It makes you better,” Jones said.
Foul trouble hurt Consol throughout the game. By halftime, three of the Tigers’ eight players had three fouls.
But a poor-shooting first quarter from the field and the line stretched to halftime for Bryan. Consol’s shooting, which was cold early, went the opposite way staring late in the first quarter. Consol shooters got into a smooth stroke on their 3-pointers and stretched the lead because of it.
Flowers hit four of Consol’s six first-half 3-pointers.
“I told the boys at halftime that making 3s is not something that happens all of the time,” Consol coach Rick German said. “You’re going to have your ups and down. We just let them get inside too much. They just controlled us at will inside.”
Flowers buried the first of five Tiger 3-point shots in the second quarter, and Consol stretched an 11-9 first quarter advantage to a 16-point halftime lead. Flowers, who had great range on his shot, hit his fourth trey and followed it up with a steal and a driving bucket in the final minute.
Bryan 70, Consol 69
BRYAN (12-9, 8-0) — A.J. Lawson 4 5-10 5 13; Quaylon Newton 7 4-11 1 18; Christian Ely 1 0-0 0 3; Sterling Whitley 0 1-2 4 1; Eric Bazy 1 0-0 3 2; B.J. Ross 4 1-3 4 9; Darius Ross 8 6-9 4 22; KeeKee Johnson 1 0-0 4 2.
Totals: 26 17-35 25 70.
CONSOL (13-13, 4-4) — Garrett Peters 4 2-2 2 11; Layton Dimery 2 0-0 5 5; Tre Pulliam 5 7-8 5 17; Stevie Little 0 0-0 2 0; Kolby Peel 0 1-4 3 1; Tre Flowers 10 7-10 3 31; Ryan Bednarsky 1 0-0 5 2; Naaman Outing 0 2-4 4 2.Totals: 22 19-28 29 69.
Bryan 9 13 20 28 — 70
Consol 11 27 15 16 — 69
3-pointers: BRYAN — Ely. CONSOL — Flowers 4, Peters, Dimery.
JV: Consol won 51-50
Next: Consol at Caney Creek and Bryan at Willis, Friday
Courtesy of the B/CS Eagle