Another chance.

That's what Mount Hebron gets at 7 p.m. today, when the Vikings visit 13th-ranked Centennial in a Class 2A South region semifinal game.

"We're all excited that we have an opportunity to play them again," said Mount Hebron junior Lauren Kickham.

Mount Hebron (17-6) should have, could have, but didn't beat Centennial (22-2) in two nail-bitting regular-season thrillers. Centennial coach Dave Greenberg often uses the word "tenacious" to describe his team, and the Eagles showed that characteristic with late-game rallies in both games.

In their first meeting Jan. 25 at Mount Hebron, Erin Jaschik's basket with 1: 45 left to play gave Mount Hebron a 39-36 lead. But Centennial scored the last nine points -- seven in a row by Tia Richardson -- and won 45-39.

The Vikings played perhaps their finest 29 minutes of the season Feb. 18 against Centennial. Unfortunately for the Vikings, games last 32 minutes.

Mount Hebron led 28-15 at halftime and 39-31 going into the final quarter. Lauren Kickham's basket with 3: 03 remaining gave the Vikings a 53-46 cushion. But the Eagles scored -- you've heard this before -- the last nine points to win 55-53. Richardson made Centennial's last six points, including two free throws with five seconds.

"Out of 64 minutes [two games] we probably led 59," said Mount Hebron coach Scott Robinson. "What we have to do is finish."

Said Kickham: "We have to play all 32 minutes. We've got to play smart when it comes down to the last couple of minutes."

Mount Hebron has come close to beating Centennial two other times in Robinson's three-year tenure. The Vikings lost, 29-27, in the 1996-97 season and 43-39 last season.

"We haven't quite been able to get over the hump, and this time we'd like to," said Robinson, who starts two sophomores, two juniors and one senior.

"I'm proud of my kids and how far they have come in three years," Robinson said. "Some people lose sight of where these kids started and how far they've come. We won seven games my first year, 13 last year and 17 this year. They have accomplished a lot."

Greenberg said his team didn't play its best the first two games against Mount Hebron.

"I think we can play better than we have, and we're hoping we do that," Greenberg said.

But Greenberg knows beating a team three times in a season is not easy, especially when the opponent is a community rival.

"We know each other well, and there is no one I respect more in the coaching profession that Scott Robinson," Greenberg said. "It's a difficult situation."

Greenberg knows that his team has played well in close games.

"They have really come through in a lot of pressure situations," Greenberg said.

Mount Hebron still needs to show that.

Tonight the Vikings get another chance.

Pub Date: 3/04/99