By Allison Dooley/reporter
The NE Campus men’s intramural basketball tournament completed its crucial fourth week Friday with final tournament pairings set after the conclusion of play.
Four teams moved into this week’s final phase starting at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
Instead of creating their own names, the teams were numbered.
Team Two vs. Team Four
The opening game was a battle between Team Two and Team Four, which had identical 2-2 records in the tournament.
The game remained close through the first half. Team Four increased its four-point lead to 10 points in the half’s last five minutes after an offensive run.
Team Four dominated the first 10 minutes of the second half before Team Two went on a 9-2 run led by Carlos Cooper. Team Two battled but could not mount an attack to take the lead. Team Four’s Jeff Conkwright scored the final shot of the game at the buzzer, giving his team a 47-30 win.
Leading the scoring for Team Four was former Team One standout Anthony Willis, who switched teams and played with Team Four for the first time.
“It was a fun game,” he said. “I can’t wait to meet Team One in the finals.”
Willis finished with 16 points, 10 of those coming in the second half. Teammate Ed Amerson played a solid defensive game with many blocks and seven points. Cooper led Team Two with 10 points.
Team Two’s loss knocked them out of next week’s championship round. Team Four will be the second seed going into next week.
Team One vs. Team Five
The second contest, a competitive battle between Team One and Team Five, emerged as the closest game of the day. Team One took an early lead with fast-break baskets. With five minutes until the half, Team One led 23-16. Team Five worked the ball around and hit some clutch 3-pointers to cut the lead to four points, trailing 28-24 at halftime.
With 11 minutes left in the second half, the game was tied 35-35 when Team Five went on an 8-0 run. Team Five looked as if it were about to take control of the game and coast to victory until Team One big man Darious Lakes had a sensational block while stopping a fast break and turned the momentum for Team One. Lakes also scored five points.
With seconds left in the game and trailing by one point, Team Five was forced to foul. Unfortunately, it fouled Team One guard Dustin Myers, sending him to the free-throw line.
Myers, an accomplished free-throw shooter who led the state of Texas in free-throw shooting percentage his senior year in high school, said he felt “no pressure at all.” Myers made both free throws to take the lead by three with just seconds left. Myers’ free throws helped clinch the 55-53 victory for Team One.
Leading scorers for Team One were Myers with 22 points and Mitch Zaelit with 12 points. Team Five’s leading scorers were Brelan Walker with 23 points and T.J Hernandez with nine points, all of those coming on 3-pointers.
Team One’s victory gave them a 4-1 tournament record and the top seed going into next week’s championship round.
Team Three vs. Team Six
Tipoff for the final game was a matchup between Team Three and Team Six. Team Six’s championship chances were snapped when Team Three won 52-43.
It was a competitive matchup between the two teams with many lead changes throughout the first half. Team Three maintained a three-point lead over Team Six at the half.
Team Six battled back in the second half but could not take the lead or stop the hot play of Team Three forward Greg Roberts, who led his team to victory. With three minutes left in the game, Team Six had fought back to trail by one point. Although Team Six called a quick timeout to strategize a play, that didn’t stop Team Three’s Calvin Brewer from scoring a clutch 3-pointer, putting his team up by four points with a minute and a half left in the game.
Frustrated by a looming defeat and elimination from the tournament, Team Six Captain Donny Manor walked off the court and, upon his return, was called for unsportsmanlike conduct and kicked out of the gym by the referees.
Leading Team Three to victory was Greg Roberts with 17 points and teammates Brewer and Daniel Castellanos with 13 points each.
For the losing team, Manor led the way with 21 points followed by teammate Tony Hola with 16 points.
The four remaining teams will play for the NE championship Friday in the NE Campus gym. Team One will play Team Five at 1 p.m. Team Four will play Team Three at 1:50 p.m. The winners of the two games will battle off in the championship game at 2:40 p.m.
