DUBLIN – Six-four Cameron Werrell knocked down the game-winning 3-point shot with 3 seconds left to give South Robeson’s Mustangs a 94-91 double overtime boys basketball victory over West Bladen Thursday night in Three Rivers Conference action.
It was a battle for the scrappy Knights throughout the game against the bigger Mustangs who feature the 300-pound Werrell and 6-4, 290-pound Ahmad Lewis on their frontline.
Junior Kerron Baldwin-Washington stole the ball and raced for a lay-up to start the game, and sophmore Tyre Boykin put back a rebound for an early 4-2 Knight lead.
After a 9-0 Mustang run, Boykin and seniors Jimmy Williams and Gerardo Reyes buried consecutive 3-point shots to edge West Bladen ahead 13-11. South went back up 17-13, but junior Keshawn Lewis and senior Jonathan Robinson sank 2 free throws each to tie the game 17-17.
Baldwin-Washington scored in transition, Williams flipped in a floater and Baldwin-Washington popped in a 15-footer for a 23-21 Knight lead at the quarter break.
Keshawn Lewis fired in a 3-pointer, Williams drove for a lay-up and Robinson pumped in a baseline jumper to keep the Knights up 30-27. Junior Trenton Lyons threw in a 3-pointer, and Keshawn Lewis spun to the basket for a 3-point play and a 36-33 West lead.
Two buckets by Zack Carter vaulted the Mustangs in front 37-36 at halftime.
Boykin found Robinson inside for a lay-up then turned a steal into a lay-up and a 40-39 West lead. Lyons bombed in a pair of 3-point shots, and Keshawn Lewis drilled in a 3-point shot as the Knight lead grew to 49-45.
Williams attacked the basket and hurled in bank shots over the two Mustang big men. A Robinson follow shot pushed the Knight lead to 55-49 with 2:18 left in the third period. An 8-1 Mustang run put the visitors up 57-56 at the quarter break.
Lewis opened the final period with a long 3-point shot, and freshman Shyron Adams muscled in a rebound for a 61-57 Knight lead. South answered with a 7-0 run, but sophmore Trashawn Ballard banked in a runner, and Williams scored over the South big men again for a 66-64 West lead.
An 8-0 run put the Mustangs up 72-66 at the 2:50 mark, but Boykin scored in transition, Robinson hit a free throw and Adams banked in a 3-point shot to pull West within 73-72 with 34 seconds remaining.
Boykin rolled in a lay-up with 17 seconds left that tied the game 74-74. After a Mustang miss, the Knights had 3 shots at the game-winner from point-blank range in the final 5 seconds that would not go down.
Robinson started the overtime with a jump-hook, and Boykin banked in a runner to keep West close at 79-78. Adams drained a pair of 3-point shots that vaulted the Knights on top 84-82 with 23 seconds left. South Robeson’s Jarias Davis drove for the tying basket that sent the game to a second overtime.
Reyes hit a free throw, and Keshawn Lewis burned the nets with another 3-point shot that tied the game 88-88 with 1:45 on the clock. With 23 seconds on the clock, Adams tied the game a final time at 91-91 with his fourth 3-ball of the night.
After Werrell’s winning shot, the Knights failed to connect on a tying attempt at the buzzer.
Keshawn Lewis led the Knights with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. Adams followed with 14 points and 6 rebounds. Williams also posted a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Boykin finished with 13 points, and Robinson racked up 12 points and 7 rebounds. Lyons tallied 9 points with his trio of 3-point shots.
The smaller Knights battled the Mustangs to a 50-50 stand-off on the boards. “Trashawn Ballard at 5-9 played center for half of the game tonight,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “We really battled tonight. These kids have been competing all year.”
Ballard was at center because the Knights were shorthanded with Scott Bowen still out with an ankle injury, and with big men Drew Harris and Jackson Norris out with the flu.
Werrell and Davis shared scoring honors for the Mustangs with 23 points each. Carter chipped in with 18 points, and Daniel Murray followed with 16 points. Jaleel Lesane added 10 points.
“That is a very talented team,” continued Coach Pait. “We have played two and a half games against them this year – going to double overtime in both games.”
The Knights will travel to Whiteville Friday night.
WEST BLADEN (91) – Jaheim Lesane, Kerron Baldwin-Washington 6, Jimmy Williams 13, Keshawn Lewis 17, Eddie Perez-Ortiz, Tyre Boykin 13, Shyron Adams 14, Trashawn Ballard 3, Gerardo Reyes 4, Trenton Lyons 9, Jonathan Robinson 12.
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