BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Garrison Teague scored off an offensive rebound with half a second remaining to give the Keystone Heights High School boys basketball team a 66-64 win over Bradford to conclude a three-day winter tournament at BHS on Dec. 29.
Bradford’s Keith Taylor tied the game at 64-64 when he made two free throws with 13.2 seconds left. At the other end of the floor, the Indians’ Zeke Pelham drove to the basket and dished the ball off to Andru Siemer. Siemer missed a shot underneath the basket, but Teague was there to grab the miss and put it in for the winning score.
Of the tournament’s four boys teams, only Keystone (6-7) went 3-0.
The Tornadoes (4-4), who were attempting to finish 3-0 as well, missed 3 of 6 free-throw attempts in the final 40 seconds.
Bradford scored six straight points in the first quarter to take a 13-9 lead. Chalil Cummings grabbed a defensive rebound and passed the ball to Damarion Hankerson, who then fed Mattox Burgin for a layup. Taylor scored off a Cummings steal and then hit a floater in the lane following another turnover.
Keystone closed out the first quarter by outscoring the Tornadoes 5-2. Pelham scored on a drive to the basket, while Bradford’s Cummings scored off an offensive rebound. Pelham then sank a three-pointer at the buzzer, making the score 15-14 in favor of the Tornadoes.
A Burgin basket put Bradford up 19-18 in the second quarter before the Indians went on a 13-2 run, which began with Bryant Kubisiak scoring off a Pelham assist. Keystone then took advantage of three turnovers, with Pelham making a jump shot, Bryce Hollingsworth making a free throw and Cartez Daniels scoring off a Hollingsworth assist.
Cummings added a basket for Bradford before Hollingsworth scored twice, driving the baseline for one basket and then grabbing a defensive rebound and going the length of the court for another bucket.
Zane Leger then scored off his own steal to put Keystone ahead 31-21.
The Indians led by 10 at the half and maintained that lead until Bradford went on a 9-2 run in the third quarter. Burgin made two free throws and then added a basket off a Hankerson steal. Burgin was fouled on the shot and made the ensuring free throw. Torin Brazell scored off a Burgin assist. After Keystone’s Teague scored off an offensive rebound, the Tornadoes got a basket from Hankerson, which left them trailing 42-40.
Bradford closed out the quarter by outscoring the Indians 7-2. Burgin sank a three-point shot, while Brazell had a basket following a Hankerson steal. A Taylor basket made it 47-44 in favor of the Tornadoes, but Teague had the final basket of the quarter to make it a one-point game going into the fourth.
A Taylor three-pointer put Bradford up 50-48 before Keystone went on a 9-2 run. It began with two free throws by Siemer, followed by a Connor Guy three-pointer. Pelham then dribbled the length of the court for a score after a defensive rebound. Bradford’s Burgin got a basket after a steal by teammate Race Black, but Keystone’s Darrion Grady grabbed a defensive rebound and drove all the way to the Bradford basket for another two points to give the Indians a 57-52 lead.
Bradford went 1 of 7 from the field during the run, with Teague rebounding three of the missed shots.
Hankerson made a three-pointer, which was followed by Taylor scoring off his own steal to tie the score at 57-57. Hollingsworth was fouled on a drive to the basket, making 1 of 2 free throws with 2:07 to play to put Keystone up by one. Grady scored after a Bradford turnover to put the Indians ahead 60-57. After Teague rebounded a missed shot by the Tornadoes, Siemer was fouled. He missed both free-throw attempts, however, with 54.1 seconds on the clock.
Taylor scored on a drive to the basket to make it a one-point game. Keystone then committed traveling violations on two straight possessions. Taylor was fouled away from the basket after the first, making 1 of 2 free throws to tie the score at 62-62. Burgin was fouled after the Indians’ second traveling call, but he missed two free-throw attempts. Teague rebounded the second miss.
Hollingsworth drove the baseline for a basket that put Keystone up 64-62 with 17 seconds to play. Taylor was able to beat most of the defense down the court to receive the ensuing inbounds pass. He was fouled, which put him on the foul line for the two free throws that would even the score again before Teague made the game-winner at the other end.
Teague led Keystone with 15 points, while Pelham and Hollingsworth had 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Indians also got seven points from Grady, six from Siemer, five from Leger, four from Daniels, three from Guy and Kubisiak and two from Michael Petty.
Bradford’s Burgin led all scorers with 19 points, while Taylor and Hankerson had 16 and 14, respectively. The Tornadoes also got seven points from Brazell, six from Cummings and two from Mikey Oliver.
The Indians will be back in action when they host Old Plank Christian Academy on Monday, Jan. 8, at 6 p.m. They then travel to play Interlachen on Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 7:30 p.m.
Bradford travels to play Fort White on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 7:30 p.m. before returning home to play P.K. Yonge on Friday, Jan. 5, at 7:30 p.m.
The Tornadoes then play three straight road games: at Interlachen on Monday, Jan. 8, at 6 p.m., at Middleburg on Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m. and at Crescent City on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
