Rebels Cinderella Run Comes to an End in the SCT Quarterfinals

Howell High School's boys basketball team -- whose players had that "Why Not Us" attitude -- came up a few seconds short of making it three Shore Conference Tournament wins, losing in the quarterfinals, 54-51, to Rumson-Fair Haven   at Brookdale Community College.

The Bulldogs' sharp shooters were hot early and put  Howell in a 10-point hole at the end of the first quarter."We had a little time to scout them, prepare for them and early on it hit me, we were just about preparing to stop our own offense while we looked at theirs. Most of the time you would think it helps, knowing what might give them fits,"   head coach Brian Quick said.

In taking the lead early, the Bulldogs' guards converted on open looks from beyond the arch."We talked things over, became more comfortable and just relaxed." Quick said  of his team's play following the end of the first period. "At no point were we afraid it might get out of hand, we don't think like that."

The Rebels responded with Mike Porter, Kendall Simmons and Ryan Keegan hitting three pointers in the second. Mike Murphy and Brian Jordan added two points each as Howell cut into RFH's advantage, 27-23, at halftime.After a shot-for-shot third quarter, the Rebels found themselves down 39-34 as the final period began.

Still down five with 47.2 seconds remaining, Keegan got the Rebels within striking distance as he hit a trey after Simmons inbounded him the ball following a move to separate himself.Following Rumson taking a 52-46 lead, with 26 seconds to play, Murphy completed athree-point play by making a foul shot after hitting a basket, getting the Rebels within three.Howell sent Rumson to the line again and lucked out as only one shot was made.

Raquan Haynes put back a rebound and the Rebels trailed by two points with 16 seconds left. Looking to foul following the inbounds, Howell pressured the Bulldogs into a turnover. Keegan ended up with the ball, and while driving through three Bulldogs, came up a little short on the lay up. Rumson was on the line after that, again making one shot to increase the lead to 54-51.

After the second free throw rimmed out, Murphy grabbed the rebound and found Keegan at mid court for a last second heave, that was off by just an inch."We were just waiting for a run like that all game," Quick said.  "If the game is two minutes longer I think we pull it out but that's not the case."It's definitely been the best season we have had here in a long time," Quick said.

Keegan finished with a team high 16 points, followed by fellow seniors Murphy with 12 and Simmons with 10. Haynes scored six, with four coming in the fourth.