By Mike Waters / Contributor
Less than three hours later, and on the same floor the Episcopal School of Dallas girls basketball team became repeat state champions, ESD’s boys made it a sweep by capturing their first SPC title since 2010.
The Eagles did so in thrilling fashion, topping Fort Worth Country day in overtime, 61-55.
Drew Guy recorded a game-high 23 points and Khizer Salmon tallied 21 to pace ESD, which led most of the game before holding Country Day scoreless in the four-minute overtime after a frantic final minute of regulation forced the extra period.
ESD, which led by as many as 14 points in the first half, never trailed until Country Day’s Reed Haven converted one of two free throws with 32 seconds left leaving the Eagles with a 53-52 deficit.
Sophomore Asher Lear drained a long-range 3-pointer with 8.9 seconds remaining for a 55-53 ESD advantage. However, a driving layup by Haven at the buzzer sent the contest to overtime.
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The junior tandem of Guy and Salmon scored all six points for ESD in overtime. Guy opened the extra period with a two-point basket and converted three of four free throws down the stretch, while Salmon hit one of two from the charity stripe.
“Just a great game,” said Corey Henderson, ESD head coach, who had high praise for his standout duo. “Both teams did a tremendous job.
“Drew Guy is one of the top 150 players in the country. And Khizer is a tremendous talent and did a great job on the boards in this game, and all season long. They both are clutch, big-time players, who come up huge in the big games.”
ESD bolted to a quick 8-0 lead to start the game.
“We wanted to come out with a fast start and set the tempo,” Henderson said, though he credited Country Day for coming back.
“We tell our guys all the time that basketball is a game of streaks. We had ours and we knew Country Day would too.”
ESD opened the second period with another 8-0 spurt to forge a 23-9 lead. However, Country Day responded with a 15-4 run buoyed by a trio of three-pointers by Jack Wegman that closed the Eagles advantage to 27-24 at intermission.
A 10-3 Eagles burst pushed their lead to 10 coming out of the break, but Country Day chipped away at that lead setting the stage for the wild finish and overtime.
Henderson and his team were determined to erase the feeling of last year’s 58-50 loss in the title game to Austin St. Andrew’s.
“We did not like the way last season ended,” he said. “That fueled us to finish the job this year.”
Both Guy and Salmon also alluded to last year’s disappointing loss in the title game.
“After last year, we really set our goal to win it this time around,” Guy said. “Everyone put in the effort. Everyone put in the work to get it done.”
“We were not going to lose this game, this year,” added Salmon. “Win the championship. That was our goal and we did it.”
ESD reached the finals after exacting a measure by disposing of St. Andrew’s in the quarterfinals, 64-40, as Salmon had a team-leading 19 points with Lear draining five 3-pointers en route to 18, and Guy adding 13.
The Eagles then soared past The Woodlands John Cooper, 60-25, in the semifinal, highlighted by Guy’s game-high 24 points.
Ranked No. 5 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) TAPPS 5A/SPC3A final rankings, ESD (22-10) won its fourth overall SPC boys basketball championship.
Henderson, in his 23rd year guiding the program, has previously taken the team to a three-peat in 2008-10.
“I have been part of four state titles now,” he said. “In 2007, we lost in the state final, then won three straight. Last year we lost in the final, and came back to win it this year.
“We won the state title. We finished 22-10. I got my 400th career win earlier this season at St. Mark’s, which is a great team. My oldest son is on my staff and to share this with him is amazing.”
