by Seneca Contomanolis
DigitalSports Richmond
Ben Jessee is starting to get used to this end-of-game heroics thing.
The Cosby senior guard nailed a deep 3-pointer with only 7.8 seconds remaining to propel the Titans past Douglas Freeman in the first round of the Central Region tournament.
“Coach [Ron Carr] told me to get it across half and if I didn’t have a good look to call timeout,” Jessee, who scored a game-high 32, said. “But I saw an opening and I just took a shot.”
The Titans (20-6) wouldn’t had even been in this position had Jessee not scored a trey at the buzzer against James River in the Dominion District first round to send the contest into overtime. Cosby would prevail 56-47.
Cosby, the second seed from the Dominion District and a program not even two years old, will now visit Central District No. 1 Petersburg Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinals. The Crimson Wave beat Armstrong 75-51.
On Tuesday night, the Titans led for much of the game even with the Rebels’ Jake Eastman pouring in 26 points. Eastman, a 6-3 junior guard, hit six 3-pointers, including two straight to begin the game.
Cosby also showed their range from behind the arc with Jessee and Luke Atwood (14 points) both compiling four 3’s each.
Behind Jessee’s 20 first-half points the Titans went into the break up 36-27.
In the third quarter Cosby’s advantage would grow to as large as 14 points even with the Douglas Freeman (17-8) defense focusing on Jessee. That opened up things for Atwood and David Robinson who scored eight and seven points, respectively, in the period.
“Just people chasing him around gives openings to others,” Carr said. “Atwood hit some big shots.”
Josh Brinkley (12 points) rallied the Rebels with eight points in the quarter and Douglas Freeman went into the final eight minutes down nine.
The Rebels continued their comeback in the fourth as Cosby looked to become a little too comfortable. Omari Vaughan-Nelson (10 points) gave Douglas Freeman their first lead since the first quarter with an old-fashioned 3-point play with only 2:25 remaining.
The teams would swap baskets until a Billy Giles (11 points) layup with :51 left put the Rebels ahead 63-62. A malfunction with the scoreboard showed the Titans ahead though, forcing Carr to burn a timeout in order to get things straight.
“I lost track of the score when the scoreboard messed up,” Carr said. “I didn’t know if we were behind, leading or tied. I didn’t want to call a timeout to set up a shot.”
Out of the timeout Atwood missed a trey and Cosby was forced to foul Eastman with 15 seconds on the clock. Eastman, usually lights out at the line, missed the first foul shot but got the second to stretch the advantage to two.
That set the stage for Jessee.
He rushed the ball up the floor across half court, dribbled behind hit back and then drilled an NBA-range 3-pointer with a hand in his face.
“He got a good shot so we didn’t have to call a timeout,” Carr said. “He can create his own shot, he knows what to do.”
Eastman pushed the ball the other way but his pass to Brinkley under the basket went off the 6-5 center’s hand and out of bounds with 3.2 seconds remaining.
The Rebels got the ball back after a Robinson missed free throw and Douglas Freeman coach Larry Parpart called a timeout to set up a play with :1.2 left.
The sideline inbounds pass went to Eastman who threw up a desperation shot a few feet in front of half court but the ball found the back of the rim and bounced off as time expired.
Douglas Freeman 14 13 17 20 – 64
Cosby 15 21 17 12 – 65
Douglas Freeman (17-8): Eastman 26, Mann 2, Vitello 0, Smalley 0, Giles 11, Rohrer 3, Jackson 0, Brinkley 12, Vaughan-Nelson 10. Totals: 23 10-15 64. 3-point goals: Eastman 6, Giles, Rohrer.
Cosby (20-6): Jessee 32, Atwood 14, McDaniel 0, Johns 0, Egerton 4, Robinson 11, Higbie 2, Virak 0, Gorski 2. Totals: 25 7-9 65. 3-point goals: Jessee 4, Atwood 4.
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