South Kent beats Gulf Shores 80-76 in three OTs

South Kent had revenge on their mind as they faced Gulf Shores Academy after falling to Mt. Zion Christian Academy 89-76 in last year’s KMOX. It looked like South Kent would win comfortably as they led 58-50 in the closing minutes, but Jovan Adams hit four consecutive threes to put Gulf Shores up 62-60. Andray Blatche made two free throws to knot the score and Adams finally missed a three at the buzzer to force the first overtime. South Kent finally prevailed to win 80-76 in three overtimes.

South Kent led 29-24 at halftime as 6-foot-6 junior Rob Thomas and 7-foot-0 senior Andray Blatche, combined for 27 points in the first half. Blatche, who averaged 27 points, 20 rebounds and 9 blocks per game for Syracuse (N.Y.) Henninger last season, is perhaps the top shotblocker in the Class of 2005 and a possible first round pick, if he elects to enter the NBA Draft.

Six-foot-8 senior Gerald Green, who is ranked as the #12 player by scout.com, scored twelve points in the first half. However, he often settled for the outside shot, perhaps trying to impress the NBA scouts in attendance. Green is headed to Oklahoma State, but there is some talk about him jumping to the NBA. He averaged 29 points, 15 rebounds, seven blocks and five assists per game last year and led the Reebok ABCD Camp in scoring this summer.

Javon Adams, a 6-foot, 190-pound senior point guard who averaged 21 points per game as a junior and led his team to the 2004 Texas private-school championship with a record of 32-2, heated up in the second half after making just two of nine shots in the first half, including missing all five three-point attempts. He finished with 31 points as he made twelve of 30 shots from the field and seven of 20 three-pointers. Adams had only nine points going into the final two minutes of regulation.

Green added 29 points as no other Tiger had more than six points.

Blatche led the Cardinal with 24 points and 22 rebounds. He made six of 14 shots from the field and eleven of 14 from the line. However, he also had eleven turnovers.

Thomas had 18 points as he made eight of 18 from the field. A.J. Hawkins added twelve and Gilbert Brown scored ten in the win.