In the span of three minutes, the Douglas boys basketball team from a perilous to a much stronger position as far as the Northern Nevada 4A playoffs are concerned.
Douglas overcame a 38-30 deficit with three minutes left in the third quarter on its way to a key 69-55 Sierra League win on Tuesday against Wooster. The Tigers improved to 3-3 in league play.
During one stretch, the Tigers outscored Wooster 28-5 to turn a 38-30 deficit into a 58-43 lead. Douglas trailed 26-25 at halftime.
"It's been de ja vu every time we come out," said Douglas coach Keith Lewis about his team's play in the third quarter. "We were getting good looks, we just didn't knock them down."
But Douglas went on a 12-3 run to take a 42-41 lead after three quarters. Will Thomas, who scored 28 points, had two steals to spark the run.
"With about three minutes left, we pick up the pressure," said Lewis about the third quarter spurt. "When our shots are going down, we've got to find a way to get an easy look and I thought we did that."
Lewis said his team was more patient and took care of the ball in the second half.
"That's what we talked about after the first half," Lewis said. "We tried to force things. In the second half we were more patient."
Douglas went on a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter to take a 58-43 lead. A key came when Wooster's J.J. Milan picked up his fourth foul at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Erik Olson went on to score nine points during the run.
"Erik was able to catch in the paint and he (Milan) wasn't able to contest it," Lewis said.
Even though his team isn't that deep, the Tigers were able to pull away in the fourth quarter, which speaks for their conditioning, Lewis said.
Olson had 26 points and seven rebounds and Travis Baker added nine points and seven rebounds. Thomas was also 13-of-14 from the foul line.
In addition, Lewis praised Luke Rippee's defense and said Andy McIntosh had his best game of the year.
GIRLS
DOUGLAS 64, WOOSTER 40
The Tigers went on a 20-2 run after falling behind 5-2 to take command against Wooster. Douglas stayed in a three-way tie for first in the Sierra League with Reno and Carson at 5-1 and set up a showdown at 5:15 p.m. Friday at home against the Huskies.
Douglas led 22-7 after one quarter and 33-17 at halftime. The Tigers busted the game wide open with a 10-0 run to take a 43-19 lead.
Andrea Honer matched her career-high with 20 points and added five assists and four rebounds.
"She's capable of doing that every night," Douglas coach Werner Christen said. "If she wants to score 20 points every night, she will."
Julie Gingrich scored 16 points, Erin Brinkmeyer had 10 points, Emily Haas had eight points and nine rebounds and Amber Gwinn added six points and six steals for Douglas.
