Bauman's team wins and

[Patch]

Baumann's late jumper lifts Freeport to quarterfinals

 

By George Guido

VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Thursday, February 19, 2004

 

 

 

McCANDLESS: Buzzer-beaters in the playoffs between Freeport and Farrell are becoming commonplace.

After the two schools exchanged heartstoppers in the 1997 and '98 Class AA playoffs, it was Freeport's turn to prevail Wednesday night at North Allegheny High School.

 

Dave Bauman's jumper with 3.3 seconds left in the game lifted the Yellowjackets to a 64-62 victory in a Class AA first-round game. A desperation shot by Farrell's Chris Blue was blocked by Brent Ferko at the buzzer to secure the victory.

 

Freeport (16-5) moves on to quarterfinal play Saturday against Aliquippa at a site and time to be determined. The Quips defeated Carlynton, 68-57, Wednesday. Farrell ended its season at 12-12.

 

A basket by Bauman with 2:12 left in the game gave the Yellowjackets a 62-59 lead. Clarence Clay answered for Farrell 18 seconds later and a free throw by Bryan Dungee tied the game at 62-all.

 

With 44 seconds to go, Chuck Chelecki slapped a loose ball to Adam Isenberg. Ferko was almost trapped and called a time out before a jump ball could be ruled.

 

That gave Yellowjackets coach Garrie Davies a chance to set up a final play.

 

"We have offensive choices we practice every day for those situations," Davies said. "We go for layups until the seven second mark then David attacks the basket in a typical offensive set."

 

Bauman's shot from the key arched over the hand of Clay for the game-winner.

 

"I knew they'd try to go for the ball," Bauman said. "If I can get the guy to make a move on me, I can get past him."

 

Freeport outscored Farrell, 15-9, in the fourth quarter. The Steelers shot just three of 12 from the field in the final period.

 

"I knew it would be Bauman taking the shot," said Farrell coach Roland Shannonhouse. "In the time out, we specifically emphasized that. We tried to reach in but we just broke down."

 

Farrell committed six turnovers in the first five minutes as Freeport took an early advantage. Ferko had the hot hand early, scoring 15 points in the first quarter and was on a pace to break the WPIAL Class AA playoff single-game scoring record of 41 set by Braddock's Billy Knight on March 3, 1970.

 

"I think we lost this one in the first four minutes of the game," Shannonhouse said. "You can win letting one person do that to us."

 

But Freeport failed to score in the first four minutes of the second quarter. The Steelers had a 29-22 lead and were in command until Luke Westerman canned a 3-pointer with 3:57 left in the half to get the Yellowjackets back on track.

 

After Freeport took a brief lead late in the second quarter on Buman's 3-pointer, a tip-in by Domonique Blackwell gave Farrell a lead it would maintain until the 3:14 mark of the fourth quarter when Bauman tallied a 3-pointer while falling backwards behind the arc.

 

Freeport outrebonded the taller Steelers, 28-26, as Chelecki led with eight.

 

Though Farrell's overall record wasn't what its program was accustomed to because it played larger schools in nonsection games such as Chartiers Valley and George Junior Republic, beating the most successful program in state history always is something special.

 

"You're talking about a great tradition," Davies said. "They battled to the very end. It was a reminder to us that you've got to bloack out and rebound in the playoffs."

 

Ferko led Freeport with 24 points while Bauman added 22.

 

Senior center Clay scored 23 for the Steelers, who have won a record 13 WPIAL basketball titles.

[reeder]

I'm watching Fox Sports Pittsburgh last night hoping to see a preview of the Freeport playoff game (Fox Pittsburgh does a very good job with HS Sports).

 

Anyway, the annoiuncer gets to the AA game and says (I'll paraphrase):

Aliquippa plays Freeport and you have to keep an eye on Freeport player Dave Bauman, you may never have heard of him but he's a D1 signee. He has signed with Albany, a team you may never have heard of but they are a division 1 team.

 

No respect - yet.

[Patch]

reeder

 

The good thing about respect is that you earn it.

 

I think the coaches and players in the AE Conference have some respect for how our guys play already.

 

If our teams in the future play as hard as our last few teams I truly believe we are very close to earning the respect of more than just the coaches and players we compete against.

Edited February 20, 2004 by Patch