After host Antelope Valley (8-10, 1-0) survived a near-buzzer-beating shot at the end of regulation time, PG Brandon McQueen came alive, scoring 11 of his game-high 18 pts in overtime as AVC topped high desert foe Victor Valley (6-12, 0-1) in the Foothill Conference opener for both teams Wednesday night.
McQueen had just 7 points and 4 rebounds through regulation time, which ended with the teams tied at 54. But in the extra session, McQueen drained a three to give AVC a lead in the opening seconds of OT. Then after a basket by VVC's Eli Thornton, McQueen made 1 of 2 free throws to give AVC a 58-56 lead.
But he was just getting started. Then came another three to make it 61-56. SG Donte Bell chipped in with a basket and, on the next trip down the floor, a free throw to push the AVC lead to 8. And then McQueen sank 4 free throws in the final two minutes to push the lead into double digits and give AVC the win.
Victor Valley nearly avoided overtime when Ctr Brandon Henderson attempted to score off PG Andrew Ellis' missed shot as time wound down. In a close call that was hotly disputed by the Victor Valley bench, the officials ruled that on Henderson's putback attempt the ball left his hand after the buzzer sounded, keeping the score tied at 54 and making overtime necessary.
In the first half, Victor Valley had led by as many as 10 points after a three by Ellis made it 26-16. And though AVC closed the gap to 4 at the half, Victor Valley continued to hold the lead in the second half until a three by PG Jovan McIver tied the game at 44 with 9:12 left.
Then the lead went back and forth several times, with AVC getting a 54-52 lead on a basket following an offensive rebound by Bell with 2:07 left. Then neither team scored until PF Kevin Morrow scored after an offensive rebound for Victor Valley to tie the game with 51 seconds left. AVC Ctr Rob Bates drew a foul with 29.9 seconds left, but missed a pair of free throws. That set up Victor Valley's final regulation possession, which ended with Ellis' last-second shot and Henderson's oh-so-close putback.
For AVC, which played without standout Deonte Huff (wrist injury - should be back in another 2 weeks), McQueen led the way with 18 pts, 9 rebs and 4 asts. Bell had 16 pts and 5 asts. Bates had 6 pts and a team-high 8 boards off the bench.
For Victor Valley, Ellis scored 13 pts and dished out 4 asts. Morrow had 11 pts and a team-best 8 rebs.
box score
Wednesday, January 4, 2005 - 7 pm
at Marauder Gym, Lancaster
Foothill Conference
Victor Valley Rams 57:
2-Andrew Ellis, PG - 4/17 fg, 2/2 ft, 4 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 13 pts
5-Eli Thornton, SF - 4/7 fg, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 8 pts
15-Maurice Andrews, SG - 0/5 fg, 2/2 ft, 5 reb, 5 ast, 1 blk, 2 stl, 2 pts
23-Kevin Morrow, PF - 5/11 fg, 1/2 ft, 8 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 11 pts
33-Brandon Henderson, C - 2/7 fg, 2/6 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 6 pts
12-Sean Giordano, G - 3/9 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 9 pts
44-Keegan Hoover, C - 1/3 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 3 pts
34-Jarred Achong, F - 1/3 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 3 pts
32-Josh Brown, F - 0/3 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 pts
24-Cris Fealy, G - 0/2 fg, 1 reb, 1 stl, 0 pts
team rebounds: 7
Totals: 20/67 fg (.299), 9/14 ft (.643), 43 reb, 16 ast, 3 blk, 11 stl, 57 pts
3-pt fg (8): Ellis 3, Giordano 3, Hoover, Achong
Turnovers (12): Thornton 4, Ellis 3, Morrow 3, Andrews, Fealy
Antelope Valley Marauders 69:
3-Brandon McQueen, PG - 5/11 fg, 5/6 ft, 9 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 18 pts
12-Robert Hughes, PF - 3/3 fg, 3/7 ft, 7 reb, 3 ast, 9 pts
20-Xavier Johnson, SF - 2/9 fg, 1/3 ft, 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 5 pts
25-Donte Bell, SG - 7/9 fg, 1/2 ft, 3 reb, 5 ast, 16 pts
34-Rafael Harris, C - 2/4 fg, 6 reb, 1 ast, 4 pts
10-Javon McIver, G - 2/12 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 6 pts
50-Les Harris, F - 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 0 pts
11-Gary Thomas, G - 0/7 fg, 3 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 0 pts
15-Rob Bates, C - 1/4 fg, 4/6 ft, 8 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 6 pts
32-Harley Haynes, F - 2/4 fg, 4 reb, 5 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 24/63 fg (.381), 14/24 ft (.583), 50 reb, 18 ast, 4 blk, 5 stl, 69 pts
3-pt fg (7): McQueen 3, McIver 2, Bell, Haynes
Turnovers (14): R.Harris 5, Hughes 2, Johnson 2, Bates 2, McQueen, Bell, Thomas
Halftime Score: Victor Valley 29, Antelope Valley 25
End of Regulation: Tied at 54
Updated Records: Antelope Valley 8-10, 1-0 in conf.; Victor Valley 6-12, 0-1 in conf.
McQueen had 10 pts and 5 rebs in OT
