Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 20, 1992 TAG: 9202200044
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: STEVENSON, ALA. LENGTH: Medium
NOW THAT'S A MIRACLE
Two players vs. five players. No contest, right? Wrong.Playing with only two players for the last 70 seconds of overtime - everyone else fouled out - North Jackson High School rallied from a five-point deficit for a 69-67 victory over Fort Payne.
"Our kids could hardly believe what they'd done," said North Jackson assistant coach Victor Griggs. "They just piled up in the middle of the floor. Shellshocked."
Losing coach Phillip Collie said he had "never experienced the pain I felt after that game. It's one of those things you never think could happen, one of those situations you never go over."
Trailing 67-62 with 1:10 remaining in overtime, North Jackson appeared to have no chance for a comeback Friday night. Senior center Robert Collier and junior guard Chad Cobb were the only players left on the floor for North Jackson after their seven teammates fouled out.
"I'm thinking, `No way,' " head coach Jay Sanders said. "What do I say to the two kids?"
Cobb began the comeback by hitting a 3-pointer. After Fort Payne missed a shot and lost the ball out of bounds, Collier inbounded to Cobb, who was fouled and made both free throws to tie it at 67.
"After he made the first one, I'm thinking, `Hey, maybe we've still got a chance,' " Sanders said.
Fort Payne was called for traveling with 13 seconds left. After a timeout, Collier had to throw the ball in to Cobb. Collier had a man guarding him and Cobb was triple-teamed, but he eluded all three defenders along the baseline and took the inbounds pass.
Cobb dribbled the length of the floor and missed a shot. But Collier got the rebound and made a basket with six seconds remaining.
Fort Payne then brought the ball down and missed a shot at the buzzer.
Keywords:
BASKETBALL