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Clearwater Rallies, Stuns Plant In Overtime

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By LEE DIEKEMPER, Tribune correspondent

Published: February 13, 2008

CLEARWATER - Despite the scoreboard at Jack Wilson Gymnasium clearly showing the host Tornadoes topping Plant 62-59, it was difficult to determine who won this Class 5A-Region 3 semifinal overtime thriller by the demeanor of the players.

The Panthers were crushed emotionally. Their eyes were puffy and red from sobbing. The Tornadoes limped with ice packs on their legs, dazed, as if just avoiding a traffic accident on Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard.

Plant (23-5) dominated most of the game and held a 12-point lead with 5:33 left. But Clearwater mounted a furious, desperation rally, outscoring Plant 18-2 and sending the game into overtime.

There, Keona Dixon's two baskets, including a 3-pointer that gave the Tornadoes their first lead since the opening seconds of the game, and her critical steal pushed Clearwater one win from its ninth state tournament appearance in 12 years.

"I guess we just ran out of gas," Plant coach Carrie Mahon said.

Few watching the game thought Clearwater had a chance with Plant holding the double-digit fourth-quarter lead. When Plant turned away two earlier Clearwater rallies, Tornadoes coach Tom Shaneyfelt even had his doubts.

The game had unfolded perfectly for Plant. Using its quick players, Plant turned the tables on Clearwater (24-5), using the Tornadoes' style of basketball - constant defensive pressure and up-tempo offense to perfection. Clearwater looked to be in a daze. Dixon confessed they thought the game was won before tip-off.

"We thought it was going to be an easy game. We talked about Boca Ciega mostly in practice," Dixon said. She was half-right. The Tornadoes will host Boca Ciega on Saturday for the region title. "I think we almost got caught looking ahead," Shaneyfelt said.

With Clearwater's season on the brink, the Tornadoes' defense began to smother Plant. Meanwhile, J'Beria Davis began to light up the scoreboard. She scored eight of the Tornadoes' 18 points in the final five minutes, mostly layups. When she wasn't scoring, Davis dominated the boards and was all over the court defensively.

Davis finished with 35 points and completed her fourth-quarter heroics despite playing with foot cramps.

"I had to stick it out. That's the only way we would have won," Davis said. "Down by 12, it scared me. But we just fought, fought, fought. They kept giving me the lane so I kept taking the layups."

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