Raiders Sneak Past Rival Heritage

By Garrett Downing

Thursday, January 17, 2008

With 13 seconds left in Wednesday's game between Loudoun County and Heritage, Raiders junior guard Timmy McLister found himself on one of the biggest stages of his basketball career.

Down by one point, McLister was on the free throw line shooting a one-and-one for Loudoun County. The crowd had been loud all night, but fans on both sides of the packed stands tested their vocal chords as McLister squared up for the shot.

For a moment the yelling stalled, and everyone stared as McLister's shot soared toward the basket. It bounced off the front of the rim, kissed the backboard and then rolled around the iron before falling through the hoop to tie the game.

"I was about to fall to my knees," McLister said after the game. "That was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me."

After making the first shot, McLister drilled the second, giving Loudoun County a 76-75 lead that would hold for the victory.

"[McLister] is a gamer, and he is tough as nails," Loudoun County head coach Brian Blubaugh said. "He is who you want on the line at the end of the game."

McLister's foul shots gave Loudoun County (12-3, 5-2) the win, but the excitement didn't end with the free throws. After he made the shots, Heritage (7-6, 5-2) drove down the court and passed the ball around to find Curtis Rustin in the corner.

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Battle of Leesburg - Loudoun County vs. Heritage

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Pride guard no. 44 Preston Findley attempts to block Raiders no. 3 Brett Tagg from moving down the court. (Emmy Crawford)

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Michael Massey no. 10 stretches up to block a jump shot by Loudoun County forward no. 50 Rick Cottom. (Emmy Crawford)

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Pride forward no. 10 Michael Massey jumps over Raiders defenders to make a layup in the first half. (Emmy Crawford)

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Pride guard no. 15 Steven Shockley elbows the Raiders' Brett Tagg no. 3 and Joe Bushrod no. 5 out of the way to reach a loose ball. (Emmy Crawford)

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Loudoun County Raiders head coach Brian Blubaugh shouts instructions to his team from the sidelines. (Emmy Crawford)

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Raiders guard no. 3 Brett Tagg leaps above Pride defenders to sink a three-pointer in the first half. (Emmy Crawford)

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Pride guard no. 44 Preston Findley jumps for three points in the first half. (Emmy Crawford)

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Heritage students cheer the Pride during first half action. (Emmy Crawford)

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Heritage head coach Marquez Mallisham gives a pep talk to his team during a time out. (Emmy Crawford)

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A Raiders defender blocks a shot by Pride guard no. 5 Brenton Peters. (Emmy Crawford)

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Pride guard no. 32 Curtis Rustin stretches to block a shot by Raiders forward no. 22 Donne Lucas. (Emmy Crawford)

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Loudoun County forward no. 22 Donne Lucas makes a layup in the second half. (Emmy Crawford)

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Juniors Brian Wynkoop (left) and Chris DeMarco, both 17, head the "Raider Riot," supporting the Loudoun County teams. Both play sports for the Raiders: Wynkoop plays soccer, and DeMarco is on the baseball team. (Emmy Crawford)

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Loudoun County fans watch anxiously as Raiders guard Timmy McLister no. 5 shoots the game-winning foul shot. (Emmy Crawford)

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With the gym roaring, Rustin missed his shot and Loudoun County's Donne Lucas grabbed the rebound as time expired. The Raiders and their fans rushed to the center of the court to celebrate the victory.

Not so fast.

The referees cleared the court and huddled up to discuss the final moments of the game. They ruled Lucas had a foot out of bounds when he snagged the rebound and awarded Heritage the ball with 0.5 seconds left.

"I had a feeling they were going to put more time up on the clock," Lucas said.

With one more chance, Heritage lobbed the ball to its big man, Preston Findley, who put up a shot as he fell to the floor. The shot missed the rim and the final buzzer sounded, and then the Raiders could take a deep breath.

"It was a big win for us," Blubaugh said. "When we beat the [teams] that we have been the red-headed stepchild to for many years, it is finally fun to get some wins against some of those great teams."

The leading score went back and forth throughout the game, but neither team was able to separate itself. After a strong start in the second half, Heritage jumped on an early lead before the Raiders climbed back into the game.

The Raiders relied on second-chance scoring opportunities created by the inside game of Lucas and Rick Cottom. Lucas led all scorers with 29 points and Cottom tallied 11.

"We want to pound the ball inside," Blubaugh said. "We told them, 'get the ball inside until they stop it. Go with what works.'"

In a fast-paced game with two high-powered offenses, players on both sides registered big scoring numbers. The Raiders' Brett Tagg was hot from behind the three-point arc, finishing with 18 points. McLister had 10 on the night, but none were more vital than the two at the end.

For Heritage, senior Chris Broderick led the way with 18 points, including several late buckets to bring the Pride within striking distance. Trailing by four with one minute remaining, Broderick's big shots put Heritage up before McLister's foul shots sealed the game.

The Raiders' win crowds the top of the AA Dulles District. Before Wednesday's game, Heritage had sole possession of first place; now five teams are tied for the No. 1 spot.

After the emotional win over its rival, Blubaugh cautioned his players not to relent.

"It is still early, still a lot of great teams left to play," he said. "We will celebrate tonight. Tomorrow we will start thinking about Park View."

Tagged: Heritage High School, high school sports, Loudoun County High School

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