Denver South Dodges Defeat at Thomas Jefferson
By Matt Langley
www.BasketballColorado.com
01/17/2015
Denver, CO – When Denver South Rebels and Thomas Jefferson Spartans meet up expect a fast paced, knock down, drag out intense game, that will more than likely come down to the last minute. In first meeting of the two DPL rivals on Saturday afternoon at Thomas Jefferson High School the deciding factor of the game would be a simple one: free throws. The two teams combined to shoot 73 free throws. No that is not a misprint – 73 free throws. South maintained control of much of the game getting out to an early lead and held the Spartans to 5 points in the first quarter. Each time the Spartans made a run at the Rebels usually behind senior Josh McNair and sophomore Raval Moody, the Rebels would answer with a run of their own behind the passing of senior guard Devante Loggins to senior big man Chuck Gavin or junior forward Chudier Bile. South held at least a 10 point lead at the end of each of the first three quarters.
The Rebels took a 14 point lead after a Bile drive to the basket at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Then the Spartans went on a 15-4 run over the next three minutes of the game. Moody had 9 of the 15 points in the run. The Rebels suffered an extra blow with Loggins fouling out after picking up an intentional foul trying to keep McNair from getting a break away basket with 5:59 left. With Five minutes left in the game the Spartans had cut the Rebel lead to one point 62-61 after Moody made 1 of 2 free throws. The Rebels responded with a 9-2 outburst lead by senior guard Justin Wariner. Wariner scored four of the nine including two for two from the charity stripe. The Spartans again cut the lead to one point 71-70 after making 1 of 2 free throws after a technical foul was called on Denver South with 50 seconds left in the game. The Spartans though turned the ball over on the following possession. Denver South’s sophomore guard Connor Nelson went 3 of 4 from the free throw line to extend the Rebel lead with less than a minute left in the game . The last free throw he missed with less than 30 seconds left was gathered in by Gavin for a quick put back to seal the win for South, 76-71. South shot 23 of 33 from the free throw line. On the other hand only two players shot free throws for the Spartans, combining for 22 of 40 from the line.
The two teams meet again this Friday at Denver South and schooled be another DPL classic.
Double Digit Scorers
Denver South
Nelson- 14
Gavin- 21 pts and 18 rebounds
Bile – 15
Turner Dumas Peterson – 10
Thomas Jefferson
Moody -34
McNair – 20 and 16 rebounds
