By BUDDY HUGHES
bhughes@beaufortgazette.com
843-986-5533
Published Sunday, Nov 30, 2008 12:00 AM
When John Drafts saw the numbers on Battery Creek High School's foul situation at the start of the second half, he had only one reaction to three starters taking the floor with three fouls.
"God Almighty," the Dolphins boys basketball coach exclaimed.
The foul situation improved in the second half, but it wasn't enough to force a comeback over Burke High School. The Bulldogs notched a 70-57 win Saturday at the Palace to claim the boys title at the Mazzanna's Lawn Service BC Classic.
"I blame the coaching staff and myself for what happened with the fouls in the first half," Drafts said. "I apologized to the team for that."
Battery Creek opened the game on an 11-0 run and seemed to be in complete control before the fouls and Burke's pressure defense caught up with it.
The Bulldogs pulled within striking distance with a 10-3 run sparked by transition buckets courtesy of the press. Baskets by Norman Jenkins and D.J. Anthony gave the Dolphins a 25-18 lead and seemed to stem the tide.
But the Bulldogs closed the half on a 10-0 run, with all the points coming from the charity stripe.
"I think the foul trouble had a big effect on the game," Burke coach Earl Brown said.
Brent Evans, Battery Creek's top scorer and rebounder, picked up his fourth foul less than a minute into the third quarter. He came back later in the third quarter, but fouled out in the final seconds.
The pressing defense helped the Bulldogs expand their lead in the third quarter. Burke opened the third with a 13-2 run, led by six points from tournament MVP Del-Jovan Simmons and aided by several Dolphin turnovers.
"Burke's going to press, and if they don't get you in the first (quarter), they'll get you in the second quarter or the third," Drafts said.
Battery Creek closed the gap to 11 points a couple of times in the fourth quarter, but Burke made its free throws down the stretch and broke the Dolphins' press for some easy baskets to put the game away.
Simmons led all scorers with 22 points. Travis Holmes added 12 and Michael Heyward chipped in 11.
Jenkins, Javari Albergotti and Chris Thomas had 14 points each for Battery Creek.
Despite the loss, Drafts like what he saw from his squad over the three-day tournament.
"I loved the effort," Drafts said. "We didn't take a single play off the whole weekend."
In the girls championship, Goose Creek High School cruised to the title with a 59-36 win over Pinewood Prep. The Lady Gators' Lisa Welch was named MVP of the girls tournament.
Mazzanna's Lawn Service BC Classic
Saturday's scores
BOYS
Burke 70, Battery Creek 57
Wade Hampton 65, Beaufort High 55
Estill 78, Colleton County 50
Academic Magnet 71, Beaufort Academy 58
GIRLS
Goose Creek 59, Pinewood Prep 36
Battery Creek 68, Burke 62
Colleton County 57, Estill 40
Beaufort High 56, Military Magnet 14