Second half propels Mineola

Posted 3/3/21

Mineola roared back from a first-half deficit to take Thursday’s area basketball championship, 66-49 over Jefferson.

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Second half propels Mineola

Posted

Mineola roared back from a first-half deficit to take Thursday’s area basketball championship, 66-49 over Jefferson.

It set up a showdown Saturday with Atlanta in the regional quarterfinals (see related story).

The final 1:03 had to be delayed for 30 minutes after a fan from the Jefferson side went on the court trying to confront a Mineola player.

Officials emptied the gym before the final 63 seconds were run off, as Jefferson held the ball.

After trailing 31-26 at halftime and as much as 29-21 late in the first half, Mineola put on two spurts in the third quarter to grab control of the contest.

Coach Ryan Steadman assessed Mineola’s comeback: “We go through a whole district without playing against guys that can move like that. It took us a good half to get into the flow of the game.”

After the Yellowjackets gained an early 5-0 lead, Jefferson got on top 7-5 and led 15-11 after one quarter.

Mineola trailed the entire second quarter, getting no closer than two points. After being fouled on a 3-pointer, Andrew Stinchfield converted all three free throws late in the quarter to help keep it close.

The Yellowjackets got back in the lead quickly to open the third quarter. Dawson Pendergrass, who was largely held in check in the first half, got three straight baskets on strong inside play.

A T.J. Moreland score and free throw put the ‘Jackets up 35-33.

Jefferson briefly retied the game at 38, but Mineola saw guards Jonah Fischer and Moreland score from close in to get the 44-38 advantage after three quarters.

Steadman noted a defensive switch with Pendergrass and Trevion Sneed helped on the defensive end and put Mineola in position to rebound and get into the transition game.

Mineola built the lead to double digits at 49-38 after baskets by Pendergrass and Fischer and a Sneed free throw.

Jefferson reeled off six straight to get within 49-44, and a quick Mineola timeout avoided a turnover that would have allowed the Bulldogs a chance to make it a one possession game.

Mineola responded with a Moreland basket on a pass from Sneed. After a Jefferson free throw made it 51-45, Mineola closed it out with a 13-2 run as the Jackets continued to press the offensive game into the lane.

Pendergrass ended the scoring with 1:03 to play, going above the rim to put it in even as the chaos ensued at the other end of the court.

“I’m proud of the guys that they battled like they did. They wanted it,” Steadman said.

In the first half Mineola missed opportunities to score by turning the ball over, he said. “You didn’t see that in second half. We got the ball and scored.”

The jubilant ‘Jackets got to cut down the nets in an eerily quiet gym.