Miracle shot and a miraculous win for Norcom

RICHMOND

Norcom guard DeCarlos Anderson made a promise following the Greyhounds’ win in the Group AAA state semifinal game.

He told anyone who would listen to him that Norcom would bring home a state title to the Greyhound fans.

“We will not fail them,” he said. “I promise you that, we will bring it home.”

Well, Anderson’s words proved prophetic because the Greyhounds pulled out the improbable when reserve Shelton Haskins scored on a putback with 1.5 seconds left to lead Norcom to a 55-54 come-from-behind victory over previously unbeaten Petersburg in front of a sold out crowd of 7,500 at the Siegel Center. The Greyhounds (25-4) became the first Portsmouth team to win a Group AAA state basketball title and the second consecutive team from South Hampton Roads to bring home the title. King’s Fork won it last season.

Trailing 55-53 with 7.2 seconds left, Anderson tried to be the hero when he took a long pass and went straight to the basket hoping to draw a foul. But his shot ricocheted off the backboard to an awaiting Haskins, who scored just seven points the entire postseason.

“Yeah, I haven’t scored that many points,” he said. “But I made the basket when it counted. But coach told me to never give up on a play. I was determined to get the ball and score that point.”

The basket sent the Greyhound fans into a frenzy as they celebrated the school’s first Group AAA basketball title.

“It feels so good,” said guard Jeremy Canty, who finished with 15 points. “We bust our butts and we know how hard we worked. They tried to bully us but we weren’t going to back down.”

Things didn’t look good for the Greyhounds early in the fourth quarter. They trailed by 10 with 7:48 left in the game.

“Just like when we were down by 7 to Chantilly (in the semifinal), I told the guys to just play,” Norcom coach Leon Goolsby said.

The Greyhounds went on a roll started by Canty. He scored nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter including a layup and a 3-pointer. Dorian Finney-Smith also contributed to help Norcom cut the deficit to one with 3:52 left in the game.

 Just when it looked like Norcom had the momentum, senior James Theus picked up his second technical foul and was ejected from  the game. The Greyhounds continued to battle but then Finney-Smith fouled out with 7.2 seconds and the game tied at 53.

Petersburg guard Kevin Green made 1 of 2 free throws and that set up   Haskins’ amazing final shot.

Afterward, Goolsby had nothing but praise for his players, including Canty, who refused to quit.

“I had a vision that he was going to have a big game,” Goolsby said about Canty. “He hadn’t had a big game through the postseason but he did today.”

Finney-Smith led the Greyhounds with 17 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks. Theus finished with 14.

Petersburg was led by Du’Vaughn Maxwell with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Frank Mason also contributed with 12 points.

Petersburg (29-1) was making its first state-championship appearance since 1989. Petersburg has been to the state final four times in school history and won two - 1973 and 1974 - when future NBA MVP Moses Malone played for the Crimson Wave. Petersburg is now 59-2 over the past two seasons with the two losses   coming against King’s Fork last season and now Norcom.

Larry Rubama, 757-446-2273 or larry.rubama@pilotonline.com

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