This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/highschools/no-1-hd-woodson-rallies-past-gonzaga-in-a-dcsaa-double-overtime-thriller/2016/03/03/739b7ece-e0c2-11e5-9c36-e1902f6b6571_story.html

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
No. 1 H.D. Woodson rallies past Gonzaga in a DCSAA double overtime thriller No. 1 H.D. Woodson rallies past Gonzaga in a DCSAA double overtime thriller
(35 minutes later)
As the H.D. Woodson boys’ basketball players bounded off the floor and down the hallways of Verizon Center after playing the game of their collective lives, all they could think to do was scream.As the H.D. Woodson boys’ basketball players bounded off the floor and down the hallways of Verizon Center after playing the game of their collective lives, all they could think to do was scream.
For months now, while the Warriors got closer and closer to becoming the first city public school to finish a season undefeated since 1985, the list of doubters who thought this run was the result of inferior competition kept growing. But they finally put that debate to rest in a double overtime game that will remembered long after Thursday night. For months now, while the Warriors got closer and closer to becoming the first city public school to finish a season undefeated since 1985, the list of doubters who thought this run was largely the result of inferior competition kept growing. H.D. Woodson finally put that debate to rest in a double-overtime game Thursday night that will long be remembered .
No. 1 H.D. Woodson showed it can go toe-to-toe with any team in the Washington area this year, pulling out a 108-105 win against No. 14 Gonzaga in the D.C. State Athletic Association semifinals. The No. 1-ranked Warriors showed they can go toe-to-toe with any team in the Washington area this year, overcoming a 12-point halftime deficit and eight-point deficit with two minutes to go for a 108-105 win against No. 14 Gonzaga in the D.C. State Athletic Association semifinals.
The Warriors overcame a 12-point halftime deficit and erased an eight-point Gonzaga lead over the final two minutes of regulation. Woodson (32-0) went up 2-0 after the opening basket of the game, but didn’t take its next lead until double overtime, when sophomore Derquan Washington hit his fifth three-pointer. Woodson (32-0) went up 2-0 after the opening basket of the game, but didn’t take its next lead until double overtime when sophomore Derquan Washington hit his fifth three-pointer. The Eagles answered initially, re-taking the lead two more times before Woodson senior Antwan Walker’s lay-in with under two minutes left put the Warriors up for good. Sophomore Kiyon Boyd, who finished with a season-high 37 points and forced the second overtime on a put-back with eight seconds to go, then iced the contest at the free throw line.
The Eagles answered initially, re-taking the lead two more times before Woodson senior Antwan Walker’s lay-in with under two minutes left put the Warriors up for good. Sophomore Kiyon Boyd, who finished with a season-high 37 points and forced the second overtime on a put-back with eight seconds to go, then iced the contest at the free throw line.
“It’s a big shock to the world that we just beat them, but it wasn’t a shock for us,” Boyd said. “We been telling ourselves that from the beginning of the season.”“It’s a big shock to the world that we just beat them, but it wasn’t a shock for us,” Boyd said. “We been telling ourselves that from the beginning of the season.”
[Late bloomer Antwan Walker has H.D. Woodson on the cusp of history][Late bloomer Antwan Walker has H.D. Woodson on the cusp of history]
For a while, though, it appeared Gonzaga (23-8) might be too much for Woodson. Junior point guard Chris Lykes (31 points) got into the lane at will and senior Nigel Stewart (25 points) was just as effective. But the Eagles never had an answer for Boyd, and he kept the score competitive early before his teammates got their bearings. For a while, though, it appeared Gonzaga (23-8) might be too much for Woodson. Junior point guard Chris Lykes (31 points) got into the lane, at will and senior Nigel Stewart (25 points) was just as effective. But the Eagles never had an answer for Boyd, who did enough to keep the score competitive early before his teammates got their bearings.
Washington provided a boost from outside after halftime, scoring all but two of his 26 points as Woodson began to chip away at Gonzaga’s lead. Lykes, however, had four straight buckets to push the Eagles’ advantage to 73-65 late in the fourth quarter. And yet, the Warriors never quit. Washington provided a boost from outside after halftime, scoring all but two of his 26 points after the break as Woodson began to chip away at Gonzaga’s lead. Lykes had four straight buckets to push the Eagles’ advantage to 73-65 late in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors nonetheless pressed on.
Missed free throws opened the door for Woodson in the closing moments, and Washington came through in the clutch. Boyd found him curling around the perimeter with four seconds remaining in regulation and Washington nailed a deep, high-arcing three-pointer to send the contest into its first overtime. Missed free throws opened the door for Woodson in the closing moments, and Washington came through. Boyd found him curling around the perimeter with four seconds remaining in regulation and Washington nailed a deep, high-arcing three-pointer to send the contest into its first overtime.
From that point, it seemed nothing was going to stop these Warriors, who will face either Friendship Collegiate or IDEA in Sunday’s DCSAA championship game at George Washington’s Smith Center.From that point, it seemed nothing was going to stop these Warriors, who will face either Friendship Collegiate or IDEA in Sunday’s DCSAA championship game at George Washington’s Smith Center.
“We weren’t going to give up,” Washington said. “I didn’t want to see my team go down and mess up an undefeated season. We worked too hard to just let it go. We came here to win everything.”“We weren’t going to give up,” Washington said. “I didn’t want to see my team go down and mess up an undefeated season. We worked too hard to just let it go. We came here to win everything.”
Last year at this time, when St. John’s point guard Niya Beverly stepped onto the Verizon Center floor for the D.C. State Athletic Association semifinals, she didn’t play like herself. Beverly had only recently returned from a knee injury, one of several injuries that hurt the Cadets last season, and her comeback was only in its infancy. Last year at this time, when St. John’s point guard Niya Beverley stepped onto the Verizon Center floor for the D.C. State Athletic Association semifinals, she didn’t play like herself. Beverly had only recently returned from a knee injury, one of several injuries that hurt the Cadets that season, and her comeback was only in its infancy.
The senior got some redemption Thursday in another DCSAA semifinal. No. 10 St. John’s cruised to a 66-38 win over Anacostia and advanced to Sunday’s championship game, where it will face either No. 7 Georgetown Visitation or Friendship Collegiate. The Cadets lost to Visitation in last year’s final. The junior got some redemption Thursday in another DCSAA semifinal. No. 10 St. John’s cruised to a 66-38 win over Anacostia and advanced to Sunday’s championship game, where it will face either No. 7 Georgetown Visitation or Friendship Collegiate. The Cadets lost to Visitation in last year’s final.
Beverly led a balanced effort with 15 points and played hounding defense against the Indians. Beverley led a balanced effort offensively for the Cadets with 15 points and played hounding defense against the Indians as well.
“What we went through last year has a lot to do with it. We grew so much last year,” Beverly said. “I just think we’re a team now and we look good. We want to finish on a good note.” “What we went through last year has a lot to do with it. We grew so much last year,” Beverley said. “I just think we’re a team now and we look good. We want to finish on a good note.”