Like money in the Banks for Bartlett
Things looked bleak for Bartlett when Rockford Jefferson rattled off 8 straight points to start the second half and open a 10-point lead in the semifinal of the Class 4A Boylan sectional.
But the Hawks rededicated themselves to defense and clawed their way back to a 58-54 victory Wednesday night.
The Hawks will play the host Titans for the sectional title Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Mike Banks had 5 points during an 11-0 run that put Bartlett ahead 40-38.
After a gut-wrenching six lead changes - and the large crowd going wild on each one - the Hawks (17-11) finally took the lead for good on Larry Whitaker's putback with 35 seconds left.
Following a traveling call on the J-Hawks' Jermarkus Lovett, Luke Labedzki took the inbounds pass and found Frankie Cleope for a breakaway layup with two seconds to go that clinched it. Cleope was fouled and made the free throw for the final margin.
"After timeouts, the five that were on the court, we say what we've got to say," said Banks who scored 10 of his game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter, "So I said and Larry (Whitaker) said, 'We've got to "D" up, we've got to turn it up now.' "
"We played good defense and kept our composure was the main thing," said Labedzki. "Banks stepped up for us really well, and so did Frankie."
The Hawks hit just 2 of 17 shots in the second quarter, and were 0-for-11 from 3-point range in the first half. But they only trailed by 2 at the break.
"At halftime, I thought both teams played like their first sectional: ugly shooting, bad decisions, great crowd, but that added to the tightness of it," said Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith. "But I will say that I thought both teams played a much better second half. I give Jefferson a lot of credit in that third quarter. They played the same style of basketball that I've seen them play on the six films I have of them. And that's the team I was terrified of."
Banks, Whitaker and Cleope scored all of Bartlett's 23 fourth-quarter points. Cleope and Whitaker finished with 9 points apiece.
"In my mind, I was saying, 'We're not going to lose this game.' So I felt like I had to step it up and I just felt a whole new burst of energy," Banks said.
Labedzki had 8 of his 10 points in the first quarter to keep Bartlett in the game early.
Lovett and Patrick Welsh finished with 13 points apiece for the J-Hawks (22-8), but Jefferson just couldn't match the Hawks' energy down the stretch. And making just 1 of 6 fourth-quarter free throws didn't help, either.
The Hawks, meanwhile, made 8 of 13 from the line in the final period.
The J-Hawks had injured starters Mario Manns and Mershon Wilkes back in action, but they combined for just 3 points.
Banks and Lance Whitaker each had 7 rebounds as Bartlett held a 31-30 edge on the boards.