Second-place –this is the honor the Middle School boys basketball team earned during the 2002-03 season, one of their most successful ones, according to Kevin Ivester, Middle School basketball coach. Finishing the season with 11 wins and 4 losses, the team produced an impressive 9-3 regular season record under the direction of coaches Ivester and Joe Pieroni.
Members include eighth graders Corey Roper, German Ospina, Ben McAbee, Daniel Smith, Steve Chumbler, Ford Riddle, Brandon Waid, and Patrick Smith; and seventh graders Ben Jackson, Patrick Collier, Robert Wilson, and Tyson Betts.
Roper led the team in scoring, averaging 24 points per game (a Middle School record), scoring a total of 337 for the year, and totaling over 30 points in three games. “Corey electrified the crowd in a win over Coosa when he scored 39 points, also a Darlington Middle School record, by hitting 10 two-point field goals, one three-pointer, and going 16-18 from the free throw line,” Ivester said.
At the end of the regular season, the Tigers continued their winning streak as they defeated Armuchee in the first round of the season finals –advancing the team to the semi-finals against Trion. Ospina's big three-pointer in the fourth quarter pulled the Tigers close, while McAbee hit a huge three for the advantage. The lead alternated until Roper hit a shot with 25 seconds left to put the Tigers up by one, 46-45. “German Ospina played amazing, tight defense all night against Trion's top player and caused him to miss their last shot,” Ivester said. “Daniel Smith and Steve Chumbler were tough all game underneath and provided the strength and rebounding necessary for the win.”
Next, the Tigers faced Pepperell (regular season first-place victors). Pepperell lead the Tigers 26-18 at the half and had as much as a 10-point lead in the second half, but the Darlington team kept fighting. The Tigers were down by four points with 20 seconds left, when McAbee hit a three pointer with seven seconds left on the clock. After fouling Pepperell, who missed the front end of a one and one from the line, the Tigers had the ball with 5.5 seconds and the full length of the court to go. Roper got the inbounds, split two guys, ran the floor and threw up a 10-foot bank shot with one second left. The shot did not fall, ending the game 43-42. Chumbler hit eight of 10 free throws for the game while Smith provided tough post defense and rebounding. Ospina's defense and three-pointers were a huge lift to the team, along with McAbee's shooting and overall smart play.
"I enjoyed every minute of this season and could not be more proud of our guys and the way they played all season, especially that final game. When you have a player of the caliber of Corey Roper, you have the potential to win any game. It's not just his scoring ability, but also his competitiveness and limitless energy on the court that makes him great. And when he's surrounded with guys who play just as hard as he does all game, then you have what we had, a great team," Ivester said.
