Hearts Broken - Twice - for DHS Basketball

In two north Georgia cities Saturday, facing No. 1 seeds in the Class AA state  basketball tournaments, the premier players on the fourth-seeded teams launched shots at the final buzzer.

Had they gone in, the Bulldogs would have partied heartily on the long bus rides home.

Alas, both kicked off the rim, and the successful DHS seasons ended on bitterly sour notes. The men's team bowed out 68-59 in overtime at East Hall in Gainesville, the women's 41-40 to Rabun County in the little town of Tiger.

The boys had weathered wave after wave of substitutions by deep, brawny East Hall, ranked No. 3 in the coaches poll, and forged a six-point lead with just over two minutes remaining. They had survived another frightful first quarter, this one ending 10-3, and the loss of supersub Quendarius "QuenD" Hall, who turned his ankle in the third period.

The Vikings drew even 56-56 on an answered prayer -- a banked three-point basket. Trumon Jefferson, in his farewell to a suitable-for-framing career, missed a twisting layup, but East Hall was thwarted on a blocked shot by transfer B.J. Fisher, a senior closing out a one-and-done stint at DHS.

That set up Jefferson's frantic heave from about half-court. It grazed the rim, forcing an overtime that expectedly belonged to the Vikings almost from the get-go. With revolving-door substitution, they had avoided the foul trouble and fatigue that caught up with thinner DHS. And the senior Hall, the team's heart and soul, was unable to continue after a noble effort on the bum ankle.

Jefferson begged, borrowed and stole 22 points off the Vikings' sticky defense, four of them on one play when he sank a three-pointer and a subsequent free throw. Fisher worked hard for "Money," Jefferson's nickname, tallying 12 against the Vikings' tall, wide-bodied front line. Following the first quarter, DHS revved up a fast break that had never been more dynamic all season against reputable opposition. 

The boys ended their inaugural year under freshman head coach Charlie Copp at 20-10, most of the defeats dealt by ranked opponents.

The girls' demise was no less excruciating. After sixth-rated Rabun County went ahead on a hoop out of an inbounds play with five seconds left, DHS got the rock into the hands of fleet, high-scoring Queen Alford. She high-tailed it into the foul lane and flipped up a short attempt that deflected harmlessly off the iron.

Alford amassed 21 points, more than half of the team's total, as DHS frittered away a nine-point advantage. While Copp must replace his shining star, first-year girls coach Bill Roberts will welcome back Alford to build on a season that closed 21-9.