Aug. 9, 2007 — It took Guidance three overtimes Wednesday night to put away the upset-minded Lakers, 116-114.
Guidance will now move on to face the Hoyas Friday in the Choice Basketball Association semifinals on at the Central High Gym. Jungle Phillips came up huge for Guidance in the overtime period after their top two players fouled out. Phillips, after scoring eight in the opening quarter, was quiet for most of the rest of regulation, but when his team needed him, he rose to the occasion.
After a slow first quarter, the young Lakers controlled the goings for two quarters and led by 10 at 67-57 entering the final period. But the experienced Guidance stormed back in the fourth to tie before escaping with the triple-overtime victory.
Guidance started fast. Led by Phillips’ eight points and seven by Akeem Francis, they led 26-15 after one quarter.
The Lakers exploded for 30 points in the second quarter, outscoring Guidance 30-10 to take the halftime lead of 45-36. Their surge in the second was led by 11 points from Robert Dluck, while Shane Hodge netted 10.
The Third quarter was evenly played, with the Lakers again outscoring Guidance, but this time only by one at 22-21. The Laker lead was now 10 at 67-57 after three quarters.
The stage was now set for what will possibly go down in CBA history as one of the best games in league history.
A 10-0 run by Guidance to start the fourth and knotted the score at 69. The Lakers responded with an 8-0 run, highlighted by four straight points from Dluck to push the lead to eight at 77-69. Guidance then came back with an 8-1 run to get to within two at 79-77 with 3:34 left in regulation. Four straight by the Lakers and put them up by six at 83-77 with 51.7 seconds left in the game.
It was then Guidance’s turn to score four straight. They did so on a steal and two clutch free throws by Jermaine Mulley to again pull to within two at 83-81 with 27.8 left. After the Lakers missed two free throws that could have sealed the deal, Guidance rebounded and tied the game at 83 on the other end with six seconds left on the clock. The Lakers inbounded the ball and point guard Allen Burke quickly moved it up court, hounded by a Guidance defender.
The trailing referee on the play blew his whistle for a foul on Guidance, but almost immediately the other referee blew his whistle for what he said was traveling by the Lakers’ point guard. By now the game clock had already expired, and the two referees huddled to discuss the calls. The traveling call won out and the game went into overtime.
Guidance lost their top offensive threat, Francis, in the first overtime, but Curtis White picked up the slack. Up by three at 90-87, they had a chance to win as the final seconds of the first OT wound down, but Blake banked a three off the glass to send the game into a second overtime with the score tied at 90.
The crowd roared its approval. Even the players waiting to contest the next game could not tear themselves away to go change for their game.
Guidance lost their next-best offensive threat in the second overtime when White fouled out, but they again overcame his absence and had a chance to win. They were up by three at 104-101 with 10 seconds left. Lakers coach Calvin Blake called a time out and set up a play intended to tie the game. It worked to perfection as, again, a clutch three by the Lakers tied the game at 104 and sent the game into triple overtime.
The third overtime was another dogfight, but both teams missed badly from the charity stripe. The Lakers were leading 112-110 when Phillips scored four straight points to give Guidance the lead at 114-112 with 52 seconds left. Dluck then tied the game at 114 on the Lakers’ next possession. After a turnover by Guidance with 10.9 on the clock, the Lakers had a chance to win with the final shot of the game, but a steal by Phillips and a lay in as time expired sank the young Lakers for the 116-114 final score.
Francis led six Guidance players in double figures with 21 points. Phillips finished with 20 and White netted 18. Three other Guidance players chipped in with 15 apiece. For the Lakers, Hodge knocked down a game-high 37 points, while teammate Dluck followed close behind with 33. Two other Lakers finished with 12 points each.
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