Boys 5A State Semi-Finals: An Instant Classic

The stage was set. On one side was the powerful team looking to make history. On the other side was a very good team that made it to the dance despite all the nay-sayers. At first glance you are thinking Super Bowl 42 between the New York Giants and New England Patriots. But we are not talking about what happened in Glendale, AZ. This time we are talking about what went down at the Erwin Center during the boys 5A state semi-finals.

Houston Strake Jesuit went into the game with a perfect 37-0 record. They had been dominant all year with Notre Dame recruit Joey Brooks and Penn State commit Tim Frazier leading the way.  Head coach Wayne Jones' squad went through a number of teams from the west coast and cruised through all the Houston area teams that stood in their way. A state title and unblemished record seemed to be within reach.

DeSoto walked in with a 31-8 record and was battle tested. They had their share of ups and downs, but the Eagles were one of those teams that nobody wanted to play. With football stars Darius Terrell, Dominique Bennett and Evan Washington on the hardwood, they were a tough team that could go toe-to-toe with anyone physically. Head coach Chris Dyer felt that his team could do some damage at state if given the chance.

From the opening tip-off the tempo was set. This was not a game for finesse; it was a straight up fight. Every point was hard earned, and every possession was important. After the first period Strake Jesuit only led by one point and everyone started wondering if this is for real.

The second period began and it seemed that Jesuit would straighten itself out. Frazier became the hot-hand, drilling shots from outside and displaying remarkable quickness off the dribble. But DeSoto would answer back every time. Whenever there was a missed shot, Washington and Terrell were there with the board. DeSoto went in at halftime with a 26-25 lead after Derico Dandridge nailed a three-pointer as time expired.

Strake Jesuit came alive in the third, outscoring the Eagles 13-6 despite an off-night from Brooks. Brooks had plenty of opportunities but just couldn't get anything to fall. Frazier carried the load, setting up teammates for easy buckets or creating plays for himself.

DeSoto had made it this far, so when the fourth quarter started they came out firing. Washington had a couple of scores to bring them within two. The final period belonged to the Eagles, as they out-scored Jesuit 16-6, including a couple of huge three's by Dandridge. When the smoke cleared DeSoto walked away with the 48-44 victory. Strake Jesuit's bid for a state title and perfect season was over. DeSoto would move on to play Cedar Hill in the 5A championship.

Frazier led all scorers with 17 points and Brooks finished with 9, well below his season average. DeSoto had a more balanced attack, with Alex Wilson and Dandrige finishing with 11 points, while Terrell chipped in with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Strake Jesuit held their heads up high despite the way things ended. Nobody can deny the year they had. Jones, Brooks and company were class acts, never pointing the finger or saying "only if." They knew they were a part of something special and proud of it.

Desoto did the unthinkable. Nobody gave them a chance earlier in the year to make it this far. But on this day, which happened to be Friday the 13th, it just goes to show that anything can happen.

And it did.

Date of Article: Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:41 pm

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