When Lake Clifton edged Southern-B by two points in their first meeting in mid-January, Bulldogs coach Meredith Smith sat in his office and explained how inexperience was costly in the final seconds.
A few moments after his No. 4 Bulldogs came up short again yesterday against the top-ranked Lakers, 64-63, Smith stood outside the Lake Clifton locker room explaining what happened.
But an explanation really wasn't needed. All that was needed was the scorebook.
The Bulldogs, who have been one of the area's best free-throw shooting teams all season, converted only 13 of 27 attempts. In the final quarter, Southern (8-7, 6-3) hit five of 10 tries from the line.
"We lost by one and missed 14 free throws," said Smith. "We had been a pretty good free-shooting team, but today they just didn't fall. We mentioned in practice yesterday about focusing and concentrating on free throws because games are won and lost on the line."
That being the case, Lake Clifton (14-1, 8-0) was just as fortunate as Southern was unfortunate yesterday.
Playing their first contest since Jan. 28, the Lakers, who are ranked No. 14 in this week's USA Today Super 25, missed 20 attempts from the free-throw line (they were 18-for-38).
But in the fourth quarter, Lake Clifton converted 13 of 19 free-throw attempts, including six straight, turning a 51-51 tie into a 57-51 lead with 4:12 left. With 1:04 left, the Lakers were ahead, 61-53, after a layup by Reggie Frazier.
The Bulldogs, who have lost to the area's top three teams (Lake Clifton, Dunbar and Walbrook), pulled to within 64-61 with 11 seconds left after a three-pointer by Cornelius McMurry from 23 feet.
With 10 seconds left, Guy Butler missed the first shot in a one-and-one. Marlon Wise grabbed the rebound and got the ball upcourt to Dedric Galloway, who pump-faked to get a three-point attempt, but had to pass off to McMurry, who was double-teamed.
McMurry, who missed a desperation 30-footer in the closing seconds of the first meeting with the Lakers, drove into the lane and took a two-point jumper. The ball rimmed out but Shawntay Barnes tipped it in with a second left and time expired.
"This is a good win," said Lake Clifton coach Charlie Moore. "Southern is the defending state 4A champions and to beat them twice is saying something. And it was good coming back after St. Anthony's."
In its last game, Lake Clifton had its worst performance of the season in a 79-47 loss to St. Anthony's of Jersey City, N.J., in the Southeast bracket final of the Charm City Classic at Loyola College.
On Jan. 29, a four-alarm fire at Lake Clifton forced the cancellation of classes and all athletic events last week, including two boys games. The Lakers practiced at Loyola College on Thursday and Friday before returning to their court yesterday.
Shawnta Rogers led all scorers with 25 points for the Lakers. Barnes led Southern with 22 points and Galloway added 17.
The Lakers showed no signs of a 10-day layoff, jumping out to a 7-0 lead. The Bulldogs caught up and neither team led by more than six points the remainder of the first half.