VES wins Holiday Classic in OT

Although Timberlake Christian School led for 31 of 35 minutes in an overtime game Saturday night, Virginia Episcopal School led when it counted and defeated the Tornadoes 50-45 to win the Seventh Annual Holiday Classic. The outcomes Saturday were typical of the closest of the contests this year; in the four tournament games this week, three were determined in the final minutes.

Seymour Daffeh, a 6-4 junior voted the tournament's most valuable player, scored two 3-point goals in the final period to give VES a tie, and then scored on free throws in the overtime period to give the Bishops a 45-43 edge after intercepting a Timberlake pass. Mac Livingston added the winning goals on free throws with only 0:15 left in the overtime quarter.

Except for the first 2:30 minutes of the game, when the Bishops held a 3-0 lead, Timberlake stayed in front until Daffeh's go-ahead basket at 0:56 of overtime. VES, which has won the crown three times, tied the game late in the fourth quarter but was unable to grab the lead. Timberlake used a full-court press and put pressure on the point guards in keeping the Bishops off balance most of the game, but Daffeh and 6-5 Chad Carter solved the defense for 14 and 13 points respectively, while 6-5 Levester Thompson kept the Bishops alive around the boards. Tommy Middleton led Timberlake scoring with 13 points, while Travis Stickle, who also stood out around the boards, contributed 11, and Matt Belton had 10. "I was afraid we would be in for an emotional letdown after Friday's game," said VES coach Bob Leake, whose Bishops had barely squeezed by Holy Cross, 61-58, in the opening round. "But we didn't, but you have to give them credit, they have the best team I have seen them have in several years." "We had opportunities to put it away early," said Timberlake coach Tim Hill, "but we didn't take advantage of them. And we didn't execute particularly well."

In the consolation game, LCA had trouble connecting on baskets early, twice seeing the ball spin in and out on 3-point attempts. The problems that bothered LCA in the first half plagued Holy Cross after intermission: the Gaels built up a 17-point lead, but in the last 2:20 of the third period LCA roared back to cut the margin to four and took a brief 60-57 lead in the final quarter. Brian Lightner, who scored 17 points, and Lucas Lesniak, who also had 17, kept the Gaels ahead with clutch shooting down the stretch, and Holy Cross held on to edge LCA, 73-72, as the Bulldogs missed on a throw at the buzzer. Preston Snell took scoring honors for Holy Cross with 19, while David Ashwell had 18; Gabe Lyons was the leading scorer and rebounder for LCA with 29, while Dale Smith had 17 and Jason Locy 10.

Joining Daffeh on the all-tournament team were Lightner, Belton, Lyons, Middleton and Carter.

In the seven years of the tournament, VES has won it three times and LCA four times; Holy Cross and Timberlake have never won it. The last time Timberlake reached the finals was in 1988, while VES won the crown in 1990, losing it to LCA last year.

By Calvin Porter, Staff writer
The News & Advance