TULSA —
Aaron Young picked the perfect time to be a hero. The Edmond Memorial senior waited for the moment his team needed him the most before he hit the biggest shot of his career and helped the Bulldogs pull out a 53-50 double overtime victory over Owasso Friday in the Class 6A state semifinals at the Mabee Center.
“It was crazy,” Edmond’s Shaquille Morris said. “Unbelievable. I never expected two overtimes with Owasso. But they are a real good team and I’m just glad we pulled it out.”
The ’Dogs will play for a state title at 7:45 p.m. Saturday.
At times, it looked like the Bulldogs were just playing not to lose instead of going for the win. That included just holding onto the ball the final 1:49 of the second overtime with the game tied at 50-50.
But with 10 seconds left on the clock, Young made his move. He was going to pass it to Jordan Woodard, who was posted up near the paint. However, when coach Shane Cowherd told Young to take it himself, that was all he needed to hear. He drove to the 3-point line, and threw up a shot that was all net with just a couple of seconds left. The Rams were unable to get a shot off before time expired.
“I looked up at the clock and there was six seconds left,” Young said. “I just heard coach say take it. It was kind of crowded around so I just pulled up. It was my first game-winner ever.”
Morris, who was camped out under the basket, had the best view of the entire play.
“When I saw the clock going down, I was sitting down under the rim going please attack the rim, do something with it,” Morris said. “When he shot it, I was just thinking tip back. It went in and I just looked at it as it rolled out the net. It was just perfect.”
Morris may have not hit the game winner, but he kept his Bulldogs in the game with 15 points and 17 rebounds. That includes 8 offensive boards. Tyler Holcomb added 15 points and Young finished with 8.
The Rams were paced by Jaylen Lowe, who had 22 points. Shake Milton added 15 points and eight rebounds. The two combined to hit 6-for-11 from 3-point range.
“I think it was a microcosm of our entire season,” Owasso coach Mark Vancuren said. “These guys have given every ounce of ability they have from the beginning of our season starting back with the first game against Union until now. I think these guys have given the maximum they can give. I am proud of them. You’re 1.4 seconds away from triple overtime. Very close.”
Owasso and Edmond traded blows and leads throughout the first three quarters and went into the fourth period tied at 32-32.
With the Rams playing zone to keep the ball away from Morris, it allowed Holcomb to get several good looks from behind the arc and for Sam Kreutzer to drive into the lane for lay-ups.
Whatever shots the Bulldogs missed, Morris was there to clean up the mess. That included Holcomb missing a fastbreak layup and Morris flying in from nowhere to put it back in with a dunk. That gave the ’Dogs a 40-34 lead with 2:30 left.
The Dogs held a 42-38 advantage after Woodard threw an alley-oop dunk to Morris with 1:50 left in the game. But Milton came down and hit a 3-pointer to close the lead to one point.
After Woodard hit a free throw, the Rams’ Michael Anderson came back with a layup with 48 seconds left to tie game at 43-43. Edmond had a chance to win the game in regulation, but Woodard’s off-balance shot was off the mark.
The game was tied 46-46 in overtime before Adrian Ellis hit a pair of free throws for Owasso. Tyler Holcomb missed a 3-point attempt, but Morris tipped it back in to tie the game.
Owasso held for a final shot, but Milton lost the ball. This gave the ’Dogs another shot to end the contest. Woodard’s shot was off, but Morris got to it first. He put it back up before the buzzer sounded, however, the ball trickled off the rim, sending the game into double overtime tied at 48-48.
“I think it shows our resiliency,” Young said. “Down by seven at halftime. We’ve been in these games before. I think it shows our strength and heart.”
For the second straight year, the Bulldogs will play for a state championship at 7:45 p.m. Saturday. Last year they let the title slip out of their grasp. They do not plan to make the same mistake again.
“I’m going to have it all in the tank,” Morris said. “Something you guys have never seen before. I am going to give it my all.”
Sports
Related Photos
-
DARIN DRAPER | SPECIAL TO THE SUN Edmond Memorial's Aaron Young puts up a shot in the Bulldogs' quarterfinal win over Broken Arrow. Young hit the game-winning 3-pointer against Owasso Friday night.
Discussion
Bulldogs win double OT thriller over Owasso
- Sports
-
-
6 Edmond golfers hit pro links in Norman
Six Edmond golf professionals will tee it up Wednesday in the Second Annual OK Kids Korral Championship at Belmar Golf Club in Norman.
One hundred-eight players make up this year’s event on the Adams Golf Pro Tour Series. This includes five amateurs and 15 of the top 25 players on the 2013 AGPTS money list including last week’s winner in Miami, Okla. Mark Walker of Hurst, Texas, who is currently third among the money leaders.
Players from Edmond include William Kropp, Andrew Green, Dillon Rust, Wilhelm Bogstrand, Jackson Ogle and Cameron Meyers. -
UCO Endeavor Games athletes qualify for 2014 world championship powerlifting team
At the University of Central Oklahoma’s Endeavor Games for Athletes with Physical Disabilities June 6-9, four athletes qualified for the 2014 World Championships in the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) powerlifting competition.
The qualifying athletes include Trevor Bunch from O’Fallon, Mo.; who is making his World Championships debut; Scott Danberg from Cooper City, Fla., a five-time Paralympian; Bryce Segura from New Iberia, La., who is competing in his first World Championships; and Mary Stack from Ann Arbor, Mich., a four-time Paralympian. -
Two UCO rowers named All-American
Central Oklahoma rowers Jenna Goodner and Michaela Stam have been named to the NCAA Division II All-America Team, it was announced by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association.
Goodner was a first-team selection, while Stam was a second-team choice. All-America selections take into account a candidate’s strength of schedule, regular season record, end of season regatta results, nomination rank, coach’s comments and 2,000-meter ergometer score. -
The remembrance remains fresh
The celebration is not over.
The Deer Creek girls basketball team continued to relive March’s state basketball championship Friday at Deer Creek High School with a Class 5A state championship ring ceremony.
Head coach Totsy Manning greeted each of her players by presenting them with a title ring.
-
Traffic shouldn’t be an issue with upcoming national soccer tournament
About 15,000 people are expected at the U.S. Youth Soccer Southern Regional at the Edmond Soccer Complex on Danforth Road near Kelly Avenue June 21-27.
The number of out-of-state guests should not be a problem according to Assistant City Manager Steve Commons. The tournament will attract more than 200 boys and girls teams, ages Under-13 through Under-19, from the 12 state associations that make up U.S. Youth Soccer Region III (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, north Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, south Texas and Tennessee).
As a matter of fact, Commons feels very upbeat about the prospect of Edmond hosting the national tournament. -
LaFaye takes Pick-A-Partner crown with 135
The KickingBird Men’s Golf Assocation’s Pick-A-Partner was won by Robert LaFaye Saturday with a 135.
Sean Conrad took second (136) while Kevin Wright and Kevin O’Neil deadlocked for third place at 137. -
UCO overtakes Division II foes for national title
Starting out the postseason, the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos softball team puttered out in the MIAA Tournament.
But UCO shifted it into another gear when the rounds of regionals began and rode the wild momentum going undefeated en route to securing the NCAA II national championship over Kutztown (Pa.) in Salem, Va.
The Bronchos dominated, going 9-0 straight through to the national title contest on May 27. -
2013 US Youth Soccer Region III Championships to bring more than $8 million to Edmond area
he 2013 US Youth Soccer Region III (South) Championships presented by the National Guard, to be played June 21-27, will provide an estimated economic impact of more than $8 million to the Edmond area.
Local restaurants, hotels, retail stores and others will benefit from the more than 3,600 players, coaches, teams and tournament officials, along with an estimated 12,000 spectators attending the seven-day tournament. Visitors to the Edmond area will book an estimated 10,000 room nights at area hotels.
The top 200 Boys and Girls US Youth Soccer teams from Region III, including at least 19 teams from the host Oklahoma Soccer Association, will compete at the Edmond Soccer Club Complex. -
Memorial graduate Morris totes home MVP trophy
It’s always good when Oklahoma beats Texas in anything and Saturday night’s 101-95 victory by Oklahoma over Texas in the annual Faith 7 Basketball Bowl at Oklahoma Baptist University's Noble Complex was a real cause for celebration.
But the happiest person in the gym might have been Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall. You might remember that Marshall and his band of opportunistic Shockers shocked the basketball world and several NCAA experts with their improbable run to the much coveted Final 4 in April.
But Marshall, one of the clinic speakers during the annual Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association annual festival, didn't want to talk about the Shockers’ monumental achievements of the spring. His big grin and jovial nature could easily have been a glimpse into the Wichita State future. -
Stars’ Crabaugh, Jensen become MLB draftees
Oklahoma City University’s Cody Crabaugh and Chase Jensen have been chosen in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Saturday.
The San Diego Padres took Jensen in the 22nd round with the 658th overall selection, while the Miami Marlins picked Crabaugh, a former Edmond North player, in the 32nd round with the 952nd choice.
Crabaugh, a senior right-handed pitcher from Edmond, compiled a 13-2 record and 2.12 earned run average, three complete games, a shutout and 77 strikeouts in 93.1 innings pitched this year.
In the NAIA, Crabaugh ranked fourth in wins this year. He led the SAC in wins and ranked second in ERA to his teammate Derek Howell. Crabaugh struck out seven in eight innings, both season highs, against Mid-America Christian on May 3 in the SAC Tournament. His whitewashed St. Gregory's on March 20 in Shawnee, Okla. He became a second-team NAIA all-American and first-team all-SAC selection this season. - More Sports Headlines
-
