CIVIL WAR REVERSED: SOUTH TIPS NORTH, 65-61

Dragons Advance to 31st Title Game Against Oldham County

Crestwood, KY - On December 20, 2003, the South Oldham Dragons dominated the second half in route to a 78-53 shellacking of the North Oldham Mustangs in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. On Thursday, March 3, 2004, the mood was more serious as one team's season would end, while the other would reach the District finals and guarantee themselves a place in the 8th Region Tournament.

But the game meant even more to both teams. North, which came into the game 16-10 on the season, was looking for a signature victory over a top opponent. The Mustangs' only win over a team with a winning record had come against Carroll County (which finished their season 15-12). South, meanwhile, had won 18 games; second-most in school history. The Dragons hoped to become the first SOHS team to win 20 or more games since the school's first team in 1989-90 went 22-10.

In front of a packed gymnasium full of screaming fans who stood from the opening tip-off, the Mustangs and Dragons treated the district to a show worth remembering. The game featured eight lead changes, four ties, and no double-digit leads. South's largest lead in the game was eight (60-52 in the fourth period), while North led by as much as three on three different occasions.

A basket by Trip Corum and a three by Brad Cofer gave South the early 5-0 lead. It was 9-5 when Danny Walcott - who scored North's first seven points - hit a basket and Kevin Allen added a three to give NOHS its first lead of the night at 10-9.

South, trying to take advantage of their superior height inside, got a bucket from Kyle Trogdon and a three by Kevin Watson to move back ahead at 14-10. The lead was stretched to 16-11 before NOHS scored the final five points of the quarter on a basket by Scott Merrick and a bucket and a free throw by Kevin Allen to tie the game at 16 heading into the second quarter.

With the Mustangs keying their defense on the explosive Cofer, the Dragons found a hero in 6'4 junior Kevin Watson. Watson, who entered the game averaging just five points a contest, erupted for eleven first-half points as the Mustangs held Cofer to just four points in the half.

Watson was particularly effective in the second period, scoring eight of South's 16 points. With SOHS up, 24-23, Watson keyed a 6-0 Dragon run with a basket and two free throws. After Trogdon scored to make it 30-23, South, the Dragons had their biggest lead of the first half with just under three minutes to play.

But NOHS rallied behind Kevin Allen, who led all scorers with 22 points on the night, nearly double his average. After an Allen basket, Corbin Skelton scored, was fouled, and hit a free thow to pull NOHS to within two. Allen then hit two free throws with 17 seconds left in the half to tie the game at 30.

Cofer, who had been held to just two points to this point of the game, took the ball to the basket and scored on a layup with five seconds left to give SOHS a 32-30 lead at the half.

In the December meeting, South had trailed by nine at the break, but used an overwhelming third quarter - outscoring NOHS, 31-8 - to win going away. This time, it was NOHS who asserted itself in the third period.

After SOHS had pulled out to a 36-32 lead early in the third quarter, John Wardlaw hit a three to pull NOHS to within one. A Trogdon free throw made it 37-35, but Seth Hillyard's basket with 4:44 to play in the period tied the game at 37.

That's when the Dragons suddenly clammed up on offense. Other than Cofer, who scored the final eight points of the period for SOHS, no other Dragon was able to score. A Cofer three made it 43-41, SOHS, but NOHS then ripped off a 5-0 run to take the lead at 46-43 on a Merrick layup, a free throw from Walcott, and two free throws by Wardlaw.

A Cofer runner in the lane pulled SOHS to within one at 46-45 just before the quarter came to a close.

For half of the final period, North played cat-and-mouse with the Dragons, and when Wardlaw hit a fall-away jumper with 4:05 to play in the game, the Mustangs led by three at 52-49 and the game was looking every bit the part of an upset special.

That's when SOHS coach Steve Simpson abandoned his favored man-to-man defense. The Mustangs were ripping it to shreds with dribble penetration, getting point-blank jumpers, layups, and drawing fouls. But when the Dragons switched to a 1-3-1 half-court trap, the Mustangs blinked.

With the NOHS offense stalled against the zone, the Dragons came to life. A Watson layup with 3:01 to play gave SOHS the lead for good at 53-52. Two Cofer free throws made it 55-52, and he then scored on a layup after a North turnover for a 57-52 lead with 2:08 to play.

Another NOHS turnover led to a layup by Alex McCoy and Cofer followed with a free throw to give SOHS their largest lead of the night at 60-52 with only 1:02 remaining.

A three by Allen breathed new life into the Mustangs with 54 seconds left. South left the door open for the Mustangs when McCoy missed the front end of a bonus situation at the free throw line with :48 seconds left and when Watson hit just one of two free throws with :20 seconds to play. But NOHS seemed dead in the water when their offense was unable to take advantage of either opportunity.

Still, following a South time out with 18 seconds to play, Walcott drained a three with :12 left to pull NOHS to within one possession at 61-58. The Dragons, however, were no longer so charitable at the charity stripe. McCoy hit two free throws at the :10 mark, and Watson hit two more with two seconds left to wrap up the win.

NOHS' Allen hit a shot from mid-court as the final buzzer sounded to account for the final score.

South improves to 19-9 on the season; North's first-ever basketball season ends with a 16-11 mark.

South Oldham 16 16 13 20 - 65

North Oldham 16 14 16 15 - 61

SOHS - Cofer 21, Watson 18, McCoy 10, Trogdon 7, Williams 4, Scott 3, Corum 2

NOHS - Allen 22, Walcott 11, Wardlaw 10, Merrick 6, Mayes 5, Hillyard 4, Skelton 3

Three-point field goals: Allen 3, Walcott 2, Mayes 1, Wardlaw 1, Cofer 1, Scott 1, Watson 1