01-10-03
CAIRO @ MT. VERNON
BY JACK BULLOCK
MT. VERNON - It was bound to happen sometime along the way. The Cairo Pilots would finally lose a game because of a few missed free throws.

But despite hitting only 9-of-19 charities on the night, Cairo still had chances to win its double-overtime road game at Mount Vernon Friday night.

Anthony Mackins' tip-in with :09.4 left in the second extra period gave Cairo a 61-60 lead and an apparent win. However Mackins, while setting up to press on defense, fouled Mount Vernon's Deras Moore with just :02.2 left.

With the double-bonus in effect, Moore calmly canned both charities to give the Rams a come-from-behind 62-61 win in front a large crowd at Chagnon Gym. Brandon Childs' desperation 3-point attempt from behind the half-court line nearly went in at the buzzer.

But when the Pilots look back on this night they will find that it was costly turnovers and defensive lapses that dropped their record to 13-2 on the year.

Despite sprinting out to a 15-point third quarter lead, the Pilots allowed the Rams to get rolling offensively late in that quarter and the momentum carried over into the final frame.

MV (6-7) got an 8-0 run after falling behind 34-19.

Michael Doggan scored on a shot from the right baseline.

And then after consecutive missed shots by the Pilots, the Rams' Matt Greene and Matt Upchurch each canned 3-pointers.

Cairo's Roman Wright hit the second of a pair of free throws to briefly stop the run and make it 35-27.

However the Rams would continue its scoring momentum, with Moore scoring the next four points on a lay in and then a pair of free throws.

Greene hit his second 'trifecta' of the quarter and the Rams had whittled the Pilots lead to 35-34 and forced a Cairo timeout with 1:32 left.

"We had them (Mount Vernon) where we wanted them but we let them back into the game in the third quarter." said Cairo mentor Larry Baldwin. "Against good teams on the road, you have to be able to finish them off. But tonight we didn't get the job done."

After Mt. Vernon had taken a 51-50 lead late in the game on Matt Upchurch short jumper with :09.4 left in regulation, the Pilots got the ball up the court and Gary Williams drove to the basket to attempt the game winning shot. The 5-7 guard was fouled by Upchurch with :02.4 left.

His first free throw found the bottom of the net to tie the game at 51.

But his second toss bounded out. Mount Vernon's Deras Moore corralled the rebound but he hesitated when he called time out and nearly two seconds ran off the clock.

Then things got a bit interesting as the Rams attempted a last second 'Hail-Mary' pass to try to win the game.

Derek Martin's attempted length of the court inbounds pass hit the hanging scoreboard above center court.

By rule, the ball went back over to the Pilots underneath the Rams basket.

The subsequent Cairo inbound pass found Anthony Mackins on the right side of the lane but his shot attempt was no-good and late and these two teams headed to the first extra session.

After a Cairo miss opening the first overtime, Mount Vernon continued to be deliberate, with Moore scoring on a lay in with 2:59 left.

Mackins, after being fouled by Moore, made both free throws to even the score at 53-all with 2:43 left.

Doggan put the Rams ahead once again on a baseline move while being fouled by Tim Duncan.

Duncan was in the game because Gary Williams had sprained his left ankle earlier in the overtime.

However Moore missed the free throw attempt and the lead remained 55-53.

Childs hit on a baseline jumper with 1:12 left to tie the score at 55.

Mount Vernon missed an opportunity to end the game with :03.4 left as Moore drove the baseline and was pushed out-of-bounds by Duncan.

The 5-11 junior bricked the 1-and-1 opportunity and the Childs missed on a long runner from half-court and the game would head to an second OT.

Cairo struck first in opening moments as Wright got the ball in the paint and his turn around attempt rattled home for a 57-55 Pilots advantage.

The Rams answered back with Doggan scoring on the baseline again, this time while being fouled by Wright.

But once again, Doggan failed at the free throw line, missing his attempt and Cairo got the ball back tied at 57.

Upchurch picked up his fifth foul on the play as he sent Wright to the line. Wright made the first of two shots to give the Pilots a 58-57 lead.

But the Rams' Moore, rebounded his own missed shot and his second chance bucket put MV back on top 59-58 in this see-saw battle.

Cairo's Deovaunta Williams hit 1-of-2 free throws to knot things at 58, Mount Vernon went back to being deliberate and held the ball for nearly a minute before Mackins fouled Moore in the lane.

The 6-1 senior hit the second of two shots to give MV the lead back at 60-59, which set up the Mackins scenario at the end.

"I'm not sure why he (coach Doug Creel) plays that way." added Baldwin, talking about the Rams pedestrian style on offense. "They have good athletes and can run the floor but they choose not to. You saw tonight that when they needed to get up and down the floor, that they can do that pretty well, too."

Childs topped Cairo in scoring with 20 points, Gary Williams added 13 and Wright scored 11. The Rams managed to hold the highflying Pilots to 23-points below its season average of 84.

Moore led Mount Vernon with 23 points. Doggan and Greene pitched in 16 and 13 respectively.

Each team had 17 field goals on the night and Cairo had a 6-5 edge in 3-pointers made. However Mount Vernon managed to make 13-of-20 free throws to just the 9-of-19 by the Pilots.

Cairo gets back into action Saturday with an afternoon tilt against Johnston City at home. The Rams play host to another Class A team when Edwards County comes calling Saturday night.