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Darlington downs Eagles to repeat as boys’ champion
Jan 4, 2007 10:25 AM
By Tannika King - Faculty
Written by Jeremy Stewart, Rome News-Tribune sports writer, published 12/24/06
Last year, the Darlington boys came away from the Rome News-Tribune Holiday Festival treasuring their first-ever championship and Gold Ball trophy. Now they’ve got a matching pair.
Just over a week after defeating No. 10 Coosa 105-104 in a Region 7-AA/A contest, the No. 8 Tigers struck fast and fearless against them again Saturday night in a 93-89 win at Georgia Highlands in the finals of the 53rd annual installment of the Christmas tradition.
“This is a great tournament and to come in and win again is a great thrill,” Darlington coach Jim Van Es said. “The outcome could have gone either way, but it swung our way in the end. We’ve played in this a lot of years and didn’t win any. So to win two in a row is extra special for us right now.”
True to the reputation that such a match-up brings, the final game of the Holiday Festival sent crowds screaming and hearts beating faster.
The Eagles (8-3) made their move first, jockeying for the lead with a 12-2 run in the first period and leading 24-22 after the opening eight minutes. But some fast rebounding from Darlington (9-0) allowed them to put up 13 unanswered points in the course of the second period.
The stretch helped them to overcome Coosa and take a 39-37 lead at the break, one that they would never give up for the remainder of the game.
“This is all we’ve talked about this season,” said Darlington’s Corey Roper, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after leading his team with 26 points. “We came in knowing that we were going to have to take it one win at a time and we got it done.”
“It was fun and that’s what it’s all about,” Roper’s teammate Shawn Powell said. “It’ s something that will always be with us.”
Powell, last year’s tournament MVP, had a double-double in the night’s proceedings, pulling down 11 rebounds and scoring 21 points. Roper and Powell’s senior classmate, Ben McAbee, finished with 14 points while junior guard Derricus Ellis had 18 and sophomore Tyshawn Good had 14.
“This senior class took a big step forward to get to where we could win this again and it showed people what this team can really be,” Powell said.
And while they finished in second place, Coosa did not leave the tournament without some stellar performances and the respect and admiration of their long-time head coach, Larry Bing.
“We still had opportunities to win right up to the end,” he said. “We gutted it out and I really felt like we played as well as we could under the circumstances. It was another typical Darlington-Coosa game.”
Eagle Bobby Lee Smith did the most he could to try and give Coosa the win by sinking five 3-pointers and scoring a game-high 33 points. Coleco Kidd was next with 17 points and another five 3’s. Combined, the Eagles made 12 shots from beyond the arc. Corey Edmondson added 13 for Coosa.
The Eagles had to take the longest road of any team to the finals, playing four games in five days, and winning three, while the other three squads were given one contest less due to their top-two finish in last year’s tournament. But after the battle was done, coach Van Es was still humble at most.
“We only played five kids tonight but our bench kept up the enthusiasm throughout the entire game,” he said. “Everybody supports each other. We back up one another and all the kids contribute always. And they play hard. That’s what I’m proudest of.”
Corey Roper, Tyshawn Good and Shawn Powell were named to the All-Festival Team. Roper was named Most Valuable Player.
Last year, the Darlington boys came away from the Rome News-Tribune Holiday Festival treasuring their first-ever championship and Gold Ball trophy. Now they’ve got a matching pair.
Just over a week after defeating No. 10 Coosa 105-104 in a Region 7-AA/A contest, the No. 8 Tigers struck fast and fearless against them again Saturday night in a 93-89 win at Georgia Highlands in the finals of the 53rd annual installment of the Christmas tradition.
“This is a great tournament and to come in and win again is a great thrill,” Darlington coach Jim Van Es said. “The outcome could have gone either way, but it swung our way in the end. We’ve played in this a lot of years and didn’t win any. So to win two in a row is extra special for us right now.”
True to the reputation that such a match-up brings, the final game of the Holiday Festival sent crowds screaming and hearts beating faster.
The Eagles (8-3) made their move first, jockeying for the lead with a 12-2 run in the first period and leading 24-22 after the opening eight minutes. But some fast rebounding from Darlington (9-0) allowed them to put up 13 unanswered points in the course of the second period.
The stretch helped them to overcome Coosa and take a 39-37 lead at the break, one that they would never give up for the remainder of the game.
“This is all we’ve talked about this season,” said Darlington’s Corey Roper, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after leading his team with 26 points. “We came in knowing that we were going to have to take it one win at a time and we got it done.”
“It was fun and that’s what it’s all about,” Roper’s teammate Shawn Powell said. “It’ s something that will always be with us.”
Powell, last year’s tournament MVP, had a double-double in the night’s proceedings, pulling down 11 rebounds and scoring 21 points. Roper and Powell’s senior classmate, Ben McAbee, finished with 14 points while junior guard Derricus Ellis had 18 and sophomore Tyshawn Good had 14.
“This senior class took a big step forward to get to where we could win this again and it showed people what this team can really be,” Powell said.
And while they finished in second place, Coosa did not leave the tournament without some stellar performances and the respect and admiration of their long-time head coach, Larry Bing.
“We still had opportunities to win right up to the end,” he said. “We gutted it out and I really felt like we played as well as we could under the circumstances. It was another typical Darlington-Coosa game.”
Eagle Bobby Lee Smith did the most he could to try and give Coosa the win by sinking five 3-pointers and scoring a game-high 33 points. Coleco Kidd was next with 17 points and another five 3’s. Combined, the Eagles made 12 shots from beyond the arc. Corey Edmondson added 13 for Coosa.
The Eagles had to take the longest road of any team to the finals, playing four games in five days, and winning three, while the other three squads were given one contest less due to their top-two finish in last year’s tournament. But after the battle was done, coach Van Es was still humble at most.
“We only played five kids tonight but our bench kept up the enthusiasm throughout the entire game,” he said. “Everybody supports each other. We back up one another and all the kids contribute always. And they play hard. That’s what I’m proudest of.”
Corey Roper, Tyshawn Good and Shawn Powell were named to the All-Festival Team. Roper was named Most Valuable Player.
