By Willie Strickland
The Leeds News
LEEDS — It was not pretty, but the Leeds High School Green Wave find themselves once again in the State Sweet Sixteen tournament after a 45-37 victory over the Glencoe Yellow Jackets.
Winter weather forced the game be moved from its previous scheduled time on Friday evening to Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. This marked the basketball’s first playoff game to be played in its new facility.
Leeds got off to a fast start as Brandon Woods hit a lay-up and a three-point basket for a 5-0 lead. A steal and eventual lay-up by Deantric Thomas increased the lead to 7-0.
Leeds gave Glencoe fits on the defensive end, including two blocked shots by Tyrick Reeves, as well as steals from Thomas and Mark Buckner.
Despite the Leeds’ pressure and some cold shooting by the Yellow Jackets, Glencoe was able to remain close at the end of the first period, 12-7.
Glencoe came out shooting in the second, outscoring the Green Wave 5-2, to close the gap to within two, 14-12. But, the Green Wave stepped it up from there with a layup by Buckner and a three-point basket from Thomas that gave Leeds a 19-12 lead. A steal by Jermain Smith led to another Buckner lay-up with 20.6 seconds left in the first half, leading to the Green Wave’s biggest lead of the game, 21-12. The Greenwave went to the locker room holding onto a 23-14 advantage.
The Yellow Jackets scored the first six points of the second half to cut the Greenwave lead to 23-20. Then, a Glencoe three-pointer tied the game at 23. Reeves quickly gave the Green Wave a two-point lead, 25-23, after sinking two free throws.
Glencoe continued to fight back and took its first lead of the game, 27-25 with 4:16 left in the third period. Woods hit a big three-pointer with 2:47 to go to put the Greenwave back on top, 28-27. As the period ended, Leeds held on to a slim lead, 30-29.
Glencoe started the fourth by retaking the lead after hitting a bucket. Thomas once again came through for the Greenwave, hitting a huge three-point basket to give Leeds a 33-31 edge. With 4:50 left in the game, Glencoe and Leeds were once again tied up at 35.
The teams remained knotted for about 3.5 minutes until a Buckner free throw gave Leeds a 36-35 lead with only 1:48 to go in the game. Buckner’s free throw shooting would prove to be the difference as he hit 10 of 11 down the stretch, leading to the 45-37 victory.
Buckner led all scorers with 17 points.
Leeds will try to make it to the Elite Eight on Thursday, February 18, at 1:30 p.m. when they take on Pisgah High School at Jacksonville State University.
