Rockford stuns Creston to win Red Division title

Friday, December 28, 2001

By Steve Vedder
The Grand Rapids Press

One shot was dramatic enough. Two made the game part of Rockford basketball history.

After racing through the first five games of their schedule, the Rams showed they also had a flair for the dramatic in Thursday's Grand Rapids Press Holiday Tournament Red Division championship game against Creston.

Not only did the Rams get a stunning 25-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer in regulation to tie the game, they also got a 21-foot 3-pointer with 10 seconds left in overtime to beat the Polar Bears 74-73.

Tournament MVP Derek Douglas hit the first one to tie the game 63-63. Teammate Kyle Trewhella closed the show with his clutch 3-pointer that wiped out a 73-71 deficit.

Rockford coach Steve Majerle said the shots were the kind his players had dreamed of making countless times while shooting by themselves on an empty playground as kids.

"We've got some kids who'll rise to the occasion, kids whose only sport is basketball," Majerle said. "They've probably practiced those shots a million times in their driveways. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't."

They went in against a Creston club many expect to win the City League. Douglas' shot completed a frantic rally which saw Rockford wipe out a 60-55 deficit in the last 40 seconds.

Trewhella won it for the Rams (6-0) after Creston had taken a 73-71 lead on a three-point play by James VanRees with 26 seconds left in overtime.

Trewhella, who finished with 20 points to make the all-tournament team, had hit an identical 3-pointer which gave the Rams a 70-69 lead with 1:45 left. He was more than prepared for another attempt as the clock ran out.

"I don't remember anything except the shot. It was a split-second thing," he said.

Douglas finished with 19 points and Michael Redell had 16.

Creston let the Rams back into the game after missing four free throws in the fourth quarter and another in overtime. The Polar Bears were only 11 of 19 at the line for the game.

"Rockford hit some big shots. Our (defensive) rotation wasn't right, but they've been in that situation before and knocked them down," Creston coach Art Garner said. "But if we make those free throws . . . we missed too many to lose by one point.

"I think we scared Rockford and had them on the ropes. Now we'll go back to the film and correct the things we did wrong."

The Polar Bears led 60-55 with 42 seconds left and 63-60 after a basket by Darnell Badger with 7.2 seconds to go.

Douglas' 25-footer tied the game and the lead either changed hands or was tied eight times in the four-minute overtime.

"We came back from the dead a couple times," Majerle said. "You can practice close games all the time, but you need games like this. We've got players who refuse to lose."

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