There’s always some sort of magic to knockout basketball involving Nicholls Baking Company Cougars.
If only the same could still be said of the team.
Cougars’ fairytale is over, without its storybook finish to boot, as the defending champs squandered a 22-point lead following Seon Hilliman’s surreal fourth-quarter rally that piloted Mpact Station Hill Cavs’ stunning 84-79 semi-final comeback on Tuesday at the Wildey Gym.
It was the most cruel of endings to another seemingly fabled Cougars’ story, which started last season with the club’s unlikely tournament run.
But this result was just as unlikely – if not more – after the champs held a 53-31 cushion early in the third quarter before taking an initial 71-50 lead in the fourth.
That Hilliman helped Cougars to their historic title only made the plot seem that much more gut-wrenching, as the Hothersal side had no qualms in seeing the reserve swingman return to the Cavs’ green.
Their one-time backup was no longer an afterthought though, not after scoring all but two of his 16 points over the final six minutes as part of a 34-8 Cavs run – including the team’s final nine points.
It seemingly started as a meaningless Station Hill surge, with the Cavs employing a “small-ball” line-up around forward Junior Moore to force some steals and get out in the open floor.
But it became all the more threatening once Cougars consistently turned over the ball, and Hilliman got in on the act with a steal and layup followed by a floater.
Corey Williams added a three-pointer and layup to sandwich scores from Moore and Steve Grenville as part of 12 unanswered points, before Justin Gaskin’s silly unsportsmanlike foul got the Cavs within one (76-75).
That set the stage for Hilliman, who inevitably hit the go-ahead basket on trey from the corner and then added one more on the very next possession (81-76) with 1:45 remaining.
Cougars still had hope following Adrian Stewart’s long jumper, but like their earlier run, Hilliman squashed that too, scoring a decisive “and-one” play to cap the comeback.
Oddly enough, Station Hill’s 34-8 finish wasn’t the game’s only major rally – nor was it even the most explosive – after Cougars fought back via a 41-9 run spanning the first, second and third quarters.
This following the Cavs’ opening a 21-12 advantage that came on the back of Darren Hunte’s blistering start and their opponents’ inability to control the defensive boards.
However, Cougars scored the last five of the period before Stewart and Godfrey Leacock romped in the open court in an ensuing second quarter where Station Hill managed just nine points. In the blink of an eye, Cougars had a 51-31 half-time cushion before staving off Moore in the third to lead 67-50.
Moore finished with 20 points for Cavs, who await the winner of tonight’s matchup between Lakers and Sonics, while Hunte and Williams added 12 and 11 respectively. Stewart led all scorers with 24 points and Leacock scored a further 17.
Earlier, defending women’s league champs Clapham Bulls missed a chance to possibly renew their heated rivalry with Station Hill after forfeiting the semi-final against St John’s Sonics.
Just four Clapham players turned up dressed for the 6:30 p.m. contest before the on-court officials were forced to blow off the game at 7 p.m.
It’s the second Clapham team that was knocked out of the tournament without taking the floor after the men’s team couldn’t field a squad for their opening-round Premier League matchup – also against St John’s.
