By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
LAKE CHARLES – Green Oaks nearly pulled off a Giant upset Thursday.
The 11th-seeded, barely-above-.500 upstarts in the Non-Select Division III state semifinals took the No. 2-seeded Madison Chargers to the final second before falling 49-46 at Burton Coliseum in the LHSAA’s Marsh Madness event.
Javontaye Dean scored 15, Delorrian Benjamin 13, and Larry Nichols 10 for the Giants.
It was Green Oaks’ first state tournament appearance in 43 seasons, against a school with a deep playoff tradition. But the Giants’ relentless effort helped them swap leads with the Chargers until the late stages of the third quarter, and recover from a late nine-point deficit for a chance to take the lead in the final half-minute before another shot to tie it at the final buzzer.
After seven ties, Madison moved ahead to stay with 3:49 to go in the third period, 31-30, launching a 13-2 run that appeared to break open the contest.
But trailing 43-34 early in the final eight minutes, Green Oaks (17-15) bounced back. A 3-pointer by Benjamin with 3:47 to go followed by a Dean transition six-footer off glass from in front of the rim got the Giants within 45-43. Dean cut it to a one-point margin with 1:38 on a free throw, and following two Madison freebies, Benjamin answered back at the 1:14 mark to draw Green Oaks to a 47-46 deficit.
The Giants got another defensive stop and coach Demetrius Wiggins called time with 39 seconds left. But a turnover seconds later scuttled the go-ahead chance and Madison sank two free throws in the final 16 seconds.
Green Oaks missed a shot to forge a 48-all tie in the closing seconds, and after the Chargers’ last free throw make with 3.1 seconds to go, got off a wild 3-point heave from the left wing that didn’t draw iron as the buzzer sounded.
Green Oaks posted three playoff wins by a total of 16 points, including an opening 58-53 overtime victory over Many.
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