Cooper Jones embraces Paradise coach Chad Woodard after the Panthers’ 38-35 win over Henrietta in the state semifinals at Denton High School. MIKE HALL | FOR THE MESSENGER
Wise County basketball gave us two moments that will live on in Decatur and Paradise lore for a very long time since Friday.
They were the kind of plays that define kids’ high school experiences and live in the memories of coaches long after they retire. Breakthroughs when reporters look around and quietly thank the Lord for letting them be there to see it.
Both came on the heels of grueling comebacks on the big stage — the Decatur Lady Eagles in the state championship game and Paradise in the state semifinals. And both came when the games hung in the balance.
And instead of shrinking from the pressure, these teams, players and coaches pulled off something special — in completely different ways.
Brazile to Peck
Brayln Peck’s game-tying finish. BRENDAN MARCHAND | WCMESSENGER
When Decatur hauled down the rebound and crossed half court after La Vega missed a free throw, there were just 8.9 seconds left in the state championship game.
The Lady Eagles trailed 52-50.
They had clawed their way back after a frustrating start. Brayln Peck had hit a three on the previous possession to cut the lead to one, and after limiting La Vega to a single point at the line, the door was open.
But only barely.
After burning his last timeout, Decatur coach Drew Coffman dug deep into his coaching bag.
Most fans watching probably wanted to pass out from anxiety.
The players, however, showed none of it.
Style Brazile took the ball from the referee for the inbound as a symphony of down screens and player motion blitzed the La Vega defense.
Cece Davis, despite a La Vega defender clutching her jersey for dear life, curled through the paint and sprinted toward midcourt. Brazile feinted a pass in her direction as La Vega shifted its defensive posture toward the perimeter.
I don’t think that ball was ever going that way.
Brazile then launched a 40-foot lob that floated over the heads of the retreating La Vega defenders before dropping perfectly into Peck’s hands.
Peck high-pointed the pass and immediately flipped it back up with a no-nonsense finish to send the game to overtime..
Those pivotal points required a brilliant design, perfectly timed screens and precise motion. And even if you execute all of that, you still have to deliver a difficult pass with the perfect touch and complete the catch and finish.
If any piece of that equation fails, La Vega probably wins.
But in that do-or-die moment, everything came together. The rest is history.
Cooper Jones’ walk-off
Cooper Jones’ game-winning shot to send Paradise back to the state championship game. MIKE HALL | FOR THE MESSENGER
It was a very different method to the moment for Paradise Tuesday night in Denton.
Paradise and Henrietta had spent the evening grinding through a defensive rock fight in the state semifinals.
Paradise took its first lead with about two minutes left. Their work on the glass and an antagonizing defensive effort brought them back, despite their best player, Cooper Jones, having an off shooting night.
The jumpers just weren’t falling — at least not at the rate he’s accustomed to. A few possessions earlier, one of his misses even drew a brief “air ball” chant from the Henrietta student section.
Tied 35-35, Paradise coach Bo Rickner called timeout with five seconds left.
He started to draw up a play, he said afterward. Then he stopped.
Rickner scrapped the play and just told Jones to go win the game.
Jones took the inbound, dribbled downhill, stepped back, pumped and watched a Henrietta defender fly past him then launched.
It never left the center of the rim, snapping through the net as the buzzer sounded.
That Paradise moment wasn’t a result of tactics. Instead, it was built on a simple belief of a coach trusting a player capable of delivering something unforgettable.
Now, Paradise is heading to San Antonio to take another crack at a championship, days after Decatur returned with its second title in two years.
After all their work in the gym, the late nights and early mornings, it came down two shots, five points, that lifted entire school communities in an instant.
So really, how can you not be romantic about Wise County basketball?
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