by Malcolm Butler
Simsboro used a 12-2 run to end the game as the Tigers defeated Cedar Creek Thursday night in an electric atmosphere in the first day of the Neill Killgore Memorial Tournament at the Brickhouse.
Both teams talked about the playoff-type atmosphere which saw the two teams trade blow after blow tough four quarters.
“It was a great environment,” said Simsboro head coach Adam Wodach. “We went to Choudrant last year, and the moment was too big for us. Tonight it wasn’t. Tonight we were ready for the moment. We attacked the moment. We started strong. We had a couple of bad runs, but that is basketball. We answered every one of their punches with bigger punches.”
The game came down to the final three minutes. With Creek (5-2) leading 59-57 on a Jake Terry three-pointer with 3:45 to play, Simsboro recorded the game-deciding run down the stretch.
Simsboro scored six straight points over the next two minutes, including a pair of buckets by Ahmad Smith who ended the game with 14 points. After two free throws by Terry trimmed the deficit to 63-61 with 1:07 to play, Jakaleb Modest came down with the biggest play of the night.
Modest pulled down an offensive rebound of the second of two missed free throws by Smith with 39 seconds to play and scored on a putback to push the Simsboro lead back to four at 65-61.
“I thought every time they had a run … it’s the first time in my career at Simsboro that we executed,” said Wodach. “That’s a tribute to their buy-in and their want and their willingness to win. We want to play fast. We are scoring in the 80s and flying around and scoring a lot of points.
“They took away our transition today, but we executed our offense. Every time (after time outs), you know execute. Layup. The right person shooting at the right moment. We missed two free throws and then big rebound and we make two free throws. We talk about winning plays. You have to go knock the shot down. You have to run it right. It takes five people to do it. And then you have to play defense after.”
The Tigers added a pair of free throws and a layup in the closing seconds to put the game away.
“I am really proud of how we executed,” said Wodach. “We earned this win tonight.”
Simsboro (6-6) jumped out early behind the strong play of guard Jakaleb Modest, who led all scorers with 26 points. Modest scored 11 points in the opening quarter to help the Tigers build as much as a 15 points lead (26-11) in the opening eight minutes.
“We have to learn from this,” said Cedar Creek head coach Lance Waldron. “I thought the crowd was great on both sides. It was a good friendly game. I was proud of both sides. It was a good (atmosphere).”
Creek senior Jack Bell kept the Cougars within striking distance early, scoring the first nine points of the game for his team. After going scoreless in the opening frame, Cougar senior Cannon Robbins netted 12 of his 17 points in the second quarter to help Creek pull to within 39-32 at the break.
“Early in the game we were really nervous,” said Waldron. “We got off to a slow start and got behind early. But the guys clawed back and made it a game. I was proud of that. I think going forward this will really prepare us. The next five games including this one our team will really grow because of the (caliber of) opponents that we play. I think the team is headed in the right direction.”
Cedar Creek came out strong in the third quarter. Trailing 45-37 with 5:57 to play after a pair of free throws by Modest, who finished 8-of-8 from the charity stripe, the Cougars used a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the game on a transition layup by Cameron Temple with 2:54 to play in the third quarter.
Simsboro regained the lead at 47-46 on a Jeremiah Levingston bucket but then Temple drained a corner three-pointer and Terry added a layup as Creek took its biggest lead of the night at 51-47 with just under two minutes to play in the third quarter.
A Levingston bucket in the lane followed by a Smith bucket tied the score at 51-51 entering the fourth and final quarter.
“This is what we were looking for when we made our schedule,” said Waldron. “We need to get ready for district and for the playoffs. Simsboro plays the way a lot of teams in our district play. I feel it was really beneficial for us moving forward. We need to face this and compete.”
In addition to Modest’s 26 points, Smith added 14 and Justin Terrell scored 10 for Simsboro.
Creek was led by Terry with 25, Robbins with 17 and Jack Bell with 12.
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Creek Scoring: FG(3FG)-FT-TP
Cameron Temple 2(1)-0-5; Cannon Robbins 7(3)-0-17; Brett Bell 1-0-2; Jack Bell 5(2)-0-12; Jake Terry 6(2)-11-25. Totals: 21(8)-11-61
Simsboro Scoring: FG(3FG)-FT-TP
Ahmad Smith 7-0-14; Justin Pndhomme 1-2-4; Jakaleb Modest 7(4)-8-26; Jalen Outley 5-1-11; Justin Terrell 3(2)-2-10; Jeremiah Levingston 2-0-4. Totals: 25(6)-13-69
Score by Quarter
Simsboro 26-13-12-18=69
Cedar Creek 13-19-19-10=61
