KFHS boys put in a lot of extra time

Some basketball teams consider four quarters to be a game. Lately, the boys’ team at King’s Fork High School would consider that a short night.

Tuesday, the Bulldogs’ third game of the season was also their third consecutive double-overtime game, with the visitors from Great Bridge High School finally losing 53-51.

“We always talk about the word insanity or being insane,” KF head coach Josh Worrell said.

“You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. We played our worst half of basketball tonight,” Worrell said of the team’s first-half hole. “Our basketball I.Q.’s got to get higher.”

Trailing by 11 at halftime, King’s Fork turned things around in the third quarter, coming out with energy and tying the game up in time for the final period.

With about 30 seconds left in regulation and the game tied at 46, the Bulldogs turned the ball over. The Wildcats held for the last shot but could not convert.

No points were scored in the first overtime period as the Bulldogs used timeouts to hold on to the ball and then missed two shots in the final five seconds.

Junior Akil Freeman broke the tie in the second overtime, getting fouled and hitting two free throws. Great Bridge responded with a three-pointer. Sophomore Keith Stagg was fouled and hit two more foul shots, giving King’s Fork a 50-49 lead.

The Wildcats missed on another three-point try but got a rebound and put-back.

“I told the guys if they score we’ve got to push it down the floor,” Worrell said, indicating he would not take a timeout.

They pushed it, and junior Justin Chicot hit a three on the left wing with 7.6 seconds to go. The Bulldogs defense held up the Wildcats on the final possession before Great Bridge heaved a long miss.

Worrell said if his team had played in the first half like it did in the second, “we’d have won by 15, 20 points, easy.”

There were no Bulldogs in double figures this time, but Chicot led the way with nine points, Stagg had eight, junior Nic Walker had eight and senior Ricky Scott had six.

King’s Fork was without brothers Chris and Dale Roscoe, who were sick and injured, respectively.

Though tired of the late nights, Worrell said, “There’s some positives. It’s the best start I’ve had in three years.”

In 2011 and 2012, King’s Fork started out 1-2, but now improves to 2-1 in 2013.

“Hopefully we’ll continue to progress and get better and eliminate some of the silly stuff that we’re doing right now,” he said.

The Bulldogs continue a busy week of basketball tonight at Oscar Smith High School. They will have a home game on Friday against Indian River High School. In Saturday’s third annual King’s Fork Tip-Off Showcase, they will host Lake Taylor High School at 7:30 p.m.