The boys on the Jonesboro basketball team were standing lookout on the perch outside the visitor’s locker room at St. Pius. When they saw their prey, coach Daniel Maehlman walking toward the staircase, they dashed inside and waited to pounce.
Maehlman walked in, knowing what was about to happen but loving every second of it, as his guys each doused him with a bottle of water and leaving him soaked – and satisfied -- for the long bus ride back to Clayton County.
Jonesboro had plenty to celebrate on Saturday as the No. 5-ranked Cardinals upset No. 2 St. Pius 65-64 in a battle of heavyweights at the Mark Kelly Gymnasium in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. Jonesboro advances to the Elite Eight and will play at Loganville, a 60-37 winner over Dutchtown.
“What an atmosphere. Those are two teams tonight that could be in the Final Four or possibly even playing a state championship game,” Maehlman said, his face and beard still glistening with spring water. “What a game on both ends.”
The game was tight for 32 minutes. The defense on both sides was excellent and neither team led by more than five points. Fittingly, the game wasn’t determined until the dramatic final minute.
“It’s all a blur,” Maehlman admitted. “All I know is I just wanted it to end.
Trailing 65-62, St. Pius’ Blake Wilson drove for a basket and was fouled, but missed the free throw to leave the Golden Lions trailing by a point. Jonesboro’s Kaymen Brown scored to up the lead to 67-64.
Rather than play for a 3-pointer, St. Pius took a dunk from Spencer Elliott with 18.9 seconds left, then forced a turnover with 9.4 seconds left. Brown fouled Devin Portee, who missed the front end of a one-and-one at 7.6 seconds and Jonesboro’s Devon Rainey grabbed the rebound and was fouled.
Rainey then missed his free throw with 4.7 seconds left and St. Pius rushed for a final shot. Eamonn Kenah’s overly long 3-pointer missed. An ensuing tip dropped in, but came after the horn.
It was the second straight season the St. Pius season has ended in a heartbreaking fashion. The Golden Lions lost to Tri-Cities a year ago.
The poor free throw shooting will haunt St. Pius. The Golden Lions were 2-for-7 from the stripe, compared to Jonesboro, which went 18-for-21.
“When you play games like this, you know it’s going to be close and you’ve got to make your free throws,” Maehlman said. “And you’ve got to win all the hustle plays and all those things.”
Jonesboro (20-8) was led by Rainey with 23 and Brown with 14, 12 in the second half.
St. Pius (26-4) got 16 points from Wilson, 13 each from Grant Rowe and Kenah.
About the Author
