SoCalHoops High School News

Nike Dream Classic: Verbum Loses
To Jordan In Overtime--(Jan 18, 1999)

Final score: Jordan 66, Verbum Dei 65 (overtime).

This one started out slow, at least for Verbum Dei, the defending state Division IV Champions, and it looked like it might be a possible mismatch given the way Jordan raced to an 11-0 lead to start the first quarter.  But as things progressed, Marlon Parmer, Dalron Johnson, Washum Dashiell and Jamaal Dean just took over in the second quarter. Verbum managed to take over, leading 28-20. Eventually with 16 seconds to play in the half, Verbum led 31-28, but then Travon Bryant, after going to the rack and getting fouled brought the score to a dead-heat tie, 31-31 to end the half.  Travon was playing well, but got called for a technical for hammering Suazo towards the end of the quarter, and by the time the second half got underway, he was in a little bit of foul trouble playing with three fouls.

In the second half, it looked like Greenwood had talked a little bit to Parmer about sharing the ball some more with other guys, but hey, while a lot of people complain that Marlon is a bit selfish, we didn't really see that. He ran the pick and roll with Dalron out at the top of the three point line, and dished off enough in the first to start a small collection of Wedgewood. Marlon's real problem is that he just can't seem to go right, and while that may not stop him from becoming a top prospect for D-I, it will make him a marked man as college teams scout him better and ultimately defend against his weak right.

In the second half, with the score 42-35 after Long Beach went on an 11-4 run, it was all Travon with at least three slams, and one hilarious play where Travon was turning with the drop-step for the slam and Nick Dodson, who was having some degree of difficulty staying with him, got a bit frustrated, and literally tried to hold Travon's jersey which stopped Travon dead in his tracks, sort of like a Roadrunner-Wiley Coyote routine. At the end of the third, the score was 45-40, and Verbum was trailing again largely because Parmer got sat down and Huston Hollis, at 5'-5" just didn't have the moves to get it done. The kid's got heart, but as far as competing against Calloway and Peterson, it just wasn't really happening, at least not today.

In the fourth quarter, with Parmer back in and getting it done, and about halfway through the quarter, Verbum had battled back and Jordan led by just a point, 51-50.  Parmer has a great left hand, incredible vision, and with a leaning layup with the left, he brought Verbum the lead at 52-51. With just under a minute to play, Jordan regained the lead at 58-57. Parmer, had the ball standing at the top of the key with 41 seconds to play, and by now, you'd think that the Jordan defenders would figure out that when Parmer drives, he's going to go left.  Calloway still managed to get picked, though, and in the attempt to recover, sent Marlon to the line where he missed the front of a one and one, but Dalron got the put -back to bring the score to 58-60 Verbum.  With 22 seconds on the way down, Suazo fouled Calloway, who missed the front end of the 1- and -1, and with 16seconds on the clock and Travon shouting "foul, foul" Calloway grabbed Sauzo, but he missed the shot too, and with 8 seconds on the clock, Jordan down by two, Travon calls a time out so Massey can figure out what to do with the final 8 ticks. Massey puts the ball in Petersen's hands, and Darren drives, right into Dalron who picks up his 5th personal and sends Darren to the line, shooting two, misses the first, then misses the second intentionally, Eric Gathrite gets the rebound and   sends the game to overtime, 60-60.

In the overtime Dodson manages a huge block (which the refs call as a jump) stopping Travon, and then does it a second time, but the third time, Dodson gets called for the body, and he too picks up his fifth and with under a minute, the score is 6362.  Calloway then feeds Travon, who makes the first, second and third effort, and finally gets the basket, and Jordan leads 64-63. Marlon does the usual, drives, gets fouled, and then makes both free-throws  to give Verbum the lead, 65-64. After a Jordan timeout, Derion Dale hit the layup and Jordan led 66-65 with 3 seconds and Marlon tried in vain, but missed a shot at the buzzer.

Wow. Great game.

Kyle Jones had 2, Dalron had 7 and 2 blocked shots, Marlon Parmer had 23 and 11 assists and was named the player of the game, Washum Dashiell had 19, Jamaal had 6 (2 three pointers), Larry Davenport had 3, Nick Dodson had 4, Watkins had one. Sauzo didn't score but had 9 rebounds.

For Jordan, Gathrite had 4, Darren Peterson had 22, Craig Calloway had 12 points and 6 assists, Derion Dale had 2, Wilfred Lucas had 10, Travon Bryant had 16 points and, get this. . . 7 blocked shots.

Great game.

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