For the second straight game, the No. 3 Walbrook Warriors had to go into overtime for a victory, an 83-75 win over host and No. 6 Southern-B yesterday in a Baltimore City 4A League game.
Anton Jenifer scored 38 points for Walbrook (14-3, 7-2) and Travone Broadway added 24 points and 20 rebounds. Dedric Galloway led Southern (8-9, 6-3) with 22 points and Cornelius McMurry scored 17.
Broadway and Jenifer, the area's top scoring tandem, combined for 13 of the Warriors' 15 points in overtime. The only points they didn't score probably were the turning point in overtime.
With Walbrook up 70-68, Broadway missed a short jumper. He and Chris Reynolds (19 points and 15 rebounds) crashed the boards for nearly 20 seconds, getting six opportunities at the basket before Reynolds finally scored, giving the Warriors a four-point lead.
A free throw by Marlon Wise pulled the Bulldogs to 72-69, but a free throw by Broadway and jumper by Jenifer increased Walbrook's lead to 75-69 with 1:51 remaining. After two Galloway free throws brought Southern to within 75-71 with 1:44 left, the Warriors connected on eight straight free throws.
"We've been feeling that we can come back when we are down," said Walbrook coach Gus Herrington, whose team defeated Patterson in overtime last Tuesday, 77-75.
"When we were down, these guys have the desire and savvy not to give up and believe in ourselves."
With 3:05 left in regulation, Southern was leading 64-56, but the Warriors closed to within 67-64 with 57 seconds left.
Shawntay Barnes made one of two free throws for the Bulldogs, giving them a 68-64 lead with 50 seconds left. The Warriors missed the front end on two one-and-one situations, but the Bulldogs would return the favor.
A miss by Brian Kennedy on the front end of an one-and-one for Southern led to a layup by Reynolds with 25 seconds left, making it 68-66. With 14 seconds left, McMurry missed another front end.
Broadway grabbed the rebound and got the ball immediately to Jenifer, who dribbled nearly three-quarters the length of the court through Southern defenders for a layup, tying the game at 66 with six seconds left.
Southern had a chance to win in regulation, but John Hemsley's one-handed attempt from half-court, hit off the front of the rim.
Missed opportunities continued to be the story for the Bulldogs, who need to win their final three games to get a chance to qualify for the playoffs and defend their state 4A title.
After missing 14 free throws in last week's 64-63 loss to No. 1 Lake Clifton, the Bulldogs failed on six of 10 attempts in the final quarter, including three in the final minute of regulation.
"We had this game won, we literally had this game won," said Southern coach Meredith Smith, whose team was 19-of-32 from the free-throw line and went over six minutes without a field goal.
"If we make one of those free throws in regulation, we win the game, nothing in overtime would have mattered."