It was Senior Night at Deep Creek Friday and the top-ranked Hornets left their fans something to remember them by.
A humbling 69-63 overtime loss to No. 3 King’s Fork.
The defeat not only enabled the Bulldogs (17-4 overall, 14-3 Southeastern District) to avenge an earlier 65-62 defeat, it ended a 14-game winning streak for Deep Creek and knocked the Hornets (18-3, 15-2) a game behind district leader Nansemond River with one game district game remaining.
And that one game is a big one – Deep Creek at Nansemond River next Wednesday.
Although Hornets coach LeRoy Ricks was livid with what he considered one-sided officiating down the stretch, Deep Creek was at times its own worst enemy.
The Hornets, who trailed most of the game, held a five-point lead with 35 seconds left in regulation and missed four of six free throws the rest of the fourth quarter. They also shot an abysmal 22 percent from the field in the first half and turned the ball over 21 times in regulation.
Not what you’d expect from the area’s top-ranked team in the final days of the regular season.
King’s Fork played a gritty, aggressive game, consistently beat the Hornets to loose balls and made nine free throws -- including five by Jamar Wertz (22 points) in the last 1:39 of overtime after falling behind by 62-60.
The Bulldogs didn’t shoot much better than Deep Creek and really struggled from 3-point range, but dug deep throughout.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well tonight, but I told the kids to keep attacking and try to get to the foul line,” said King’s Fork coach Josh Worrell. The Bulldogs responded by hitting on 23 of their 29 free throws.
Jay Copeland (14 points) made 3 of 4 in the final 21 seconds of regulation to force a 57-57 tie and he and Wertz (22 points) combined to make five foul shots in the last 15 seconds of OT after Deep Creek had closed to within 64-63.
Twenty minutes after the game, Ricks was still fuming about the free throws.
“King’s Fork is a very strong and aggressive team, they played like that from start to finish and deserve credit,” he said. “But it was unfortunate the officials took control of the outcome. They went to the line a lot more than us down the stretch. Three of our starters fouled out. They had what, none?
“We felt like we were playing five on eight. King’s Fork didn’t need any help. They’re good team.”
And the Bulldogs’ Jacquon Parker might have been the best player on the floor. He scored 17 points and battled the Hornets for every rebound. He also blocked Marcel Chesson’s last-second drive to the basket on the final play of regulation.
Parker was also responsible for what might have been the biggest single play of the night when he grabbed a rebound, dribbled the length of the floor through most of the Hornets, missed his drive, but got his own rebound and drew a foul with 46 seconds left in overtime. He made only one free throw, but it put his team up by 64-62.
“I was just going on adrenaline,” he said. “I knew it was time for me to step up and make a big play.
“This was definitely payback for them beating us in our house. It makes a statement.”
That statement is that the Bulldogs are still a team to be reckoned with.
“In our first game with Deep Creek, we shot the ball much better than we did tonight, took a big lead, and then didn’t get it done,” said Worrell. “This was a big win for us. This team is starting to peak. We’re getting where we want to be.”
In the other locker room, Ricks was talking about regrouping.
“We can still finish first in the district,” he said. “We can win the region and go to state. This loss should give us motivation. We’re scarred, but I don’t think we are dead.”
Corey Law led the Hornets with 25 points, including five dunks. Chris Evans added 15 points and Chesson 13.
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