By Alan Goldenbach
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 14, 2008

Steve Bell had more than a week to get used to the throbbing pain in his right leg, but as regulation wound down in Long Reach's Maryland 3A boys' basketball semifinal game against Lake Clifton, Bell couldn't bear the thought of overtime.

So after leading his team through an incredible fourth-quarter comeback, he gambled and tried to end the game.

As Lake Clifton inbounded the ball just over midcourt with 10.5 seconds left and the score tied, Bell had a hunch the Dolphins would throw it in the back court. He decided to overplay and slip behind Lake Clifton guard Derrious Gilmore. The pass went just where Bell thought it would, and he picked it cleanly, dribbled downcourt and fed Deon Queen for the winning layup with five seconds left as No. 13 Long Reach stunned Baltimore's top public school team, 62-59, at Comcast Center.

"I couldn't keep up with [Gilmore] all game. It was hurting too much," said Bell, who collapsed on the floor after Queen's layup, spurring Lightning Coach Al Moraz to streak across the width of the court, pick up Bell, and carry him back to the Long Reach bench, as Lake Clifton called a timeout. "I just ran before they threw the ball in."

The Lightning (25-2) will play for its second state title in three years tomorrow at 3 p.m., when it faces No. 9 Largo, which defeated No. 20 Bethesda-Chevy Chase, 73-64, in the day's second semifinal.

Queen's basket capped an incredible comeback in the fourth quarter, which began with Long Reach trailing 47-37. Mario Lloyde's 12-foot jumper with 1 minute 3 seconds left gave the Lightning a 57-56 lead, its first since 9-7 in the opening minutes.

Following a Lake Clifton timeout, sophomore Jason Sharp hit his third three-pointer of the game to put the Dolphins ahead 59-57. Queen hit two free throws with 27 seconds left, giving Lake Clifton a chance to play for the final shot.

Long Reach fouled Lake Clifton with 10.5 seconds left, but it was only its sixth foul of the half, forcing the Dolphins to inbound the ball. That's when Bell made his big move.

"Steve has been our defensive guy for us all season," Moraz said. "He was cramping up and he just made a great play."

Long Reach's Obi Ukwuoma stole the ensuing inbounds pass at midcourt, and was fouled with 2.7 seconds left. He made 1 of 2 free throws and Lake Clifton's desperation heave missed at the buzzer.

In the second semifinal, Largo avenged a loss to Bethesda-Chevy Chase in this same matchup last year. The Lions (22-4) never trailed and built a 27-18 lead with five minutes left in the first half, when Largo Coach Lewis Howard decided to hold the ball and let the clock run until the final seconds of the half.

With three seconds left, Klevin Pollard (game-high 24 points) hit a three-pointer to send Largo into the break up by 12.

Pollard and 6-foot-11 center Maurice Sutton accounted for all the points on a 9-2 run to start the second half, as Largo put away the game. Austin Cooley led B-CC (18-8) with 19 points and nine rebounds.