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With Saturday night’s non-conference boys basketball game tied with 10 seconds left and Smyrna High School owning a critical possession, there was no doubt who was going to take the big shot.
“We want Andre to have the ball in that situation,” senior forward Tim Stewart said after fellow senior Andre Gibbs banked in a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left to give the Eagles a 58-55 win over Newark High. “I was confident the whole time. I had no doubt he was going to make it.”
“I was going to go down the middle, but they cut me off and I just took a step and shot it,” said Gibbs, who scored a game-high 27 points. “By the grace of God, it went in.”
With the score tied at 50 with 1:20 left, senior guard Keenan Mitchell (eight points) slid baseline and scored a lay-up to give Smyrna the lead. Mitchell also handed out four assists, a credit to what head coach Mike Starkey says he brings to the team.
“Keenan has been a blessing for us this year,” he said. “He makes big plays for us, like that lay-up, and he’s explosive on offense. He gives us that boost we need at times.”
“My job is play how Coach wants me to play,” Mitchell said. “I’m supposed to get the ball to Andre and Tim and I’m the one that’s here to help.”
After a couple of free throws by Stewart (18 points) put them up three points, Newark worked for and got an open look from three-point land with 10 seconds left.
Taylor Reynolds knocked it down, setting the stage for Gibbs’ big shot and one of the bigger victories in Smyrna’s season.
Starkey was pleased with the effort of his team, especially considering they didn’t have much time to prepare for the Yellowjackets after losing a tough 88-73 game to Concord Thursday night.
“This is a big confidence booster for us and to win on the road,” makes it more special,” he said.
E-mail Chris Stevens at chris.stevens@doverpost.com
With Saturday night’s non-conference boys basketball game tied with 10 seconds left and Smyrna High School owning a critical possession, there was no doubt who was going to take the big shot.
“We want Andre to have the ball in that situation,” senior forward Tim Stewart said after fellow senior Andre Gibbs banked in a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left to give the Eagles a 58-55 win over Newark High. “I was confident the whole time. I had no doubt he was going to make it.”
“I was going to go down the middle, but they cut me off and I just took a step and shot it,” said Gibbs, who scored a game-high 27 points. “By the grace of God, it went in.”
With the score tied at 50 with 1:20 left, senior guard Keenan Mitchell (eight points) slid baseline and scored a lay-up to give Smyrna the lead. Mitchell also handed out four assists, a credit to what head coach Mike Starkey says he brings to the team.
“Keenan has been a blessing for us this year,” he said. “He makes big plays for us, like that lay-up, and he’s explosive on offense. He gives us that boost we need at times.”
“My job is play how Coach wants me to play,” Mitchell said. “I’m supposed to get the ball to Andre and Tim and I’m the one that’s here to help.”
After a couple of free throws by Stewart (18 points) put them up three points, Newark worked for and got an open look from three-point land with 10 seconds left.
Taylor Reynolds knocked it down, setting the stage for Gibbs’ big shot and one of the bigger victories in Smyrna’s season.
Starkey was pleased with the effort of his team, especially considering they didn’t have much time to prepare for the Yellowjackets after losing a tough 88-73 game to Concord Thursday night.
“This is a big confidence booster for us and to win on the road,” makes it more special,” he said.
E-mail Chris Stevens at chris.stevens@doverpost.com
