Handley boys edge Wood

February 9, 2011

By Robert Stocks       

WINCHESTER- Handley boys' basketball coach Tommy Dixon knows you can't take anything for granted in the Northwestern District this year.

After all, the Judges needed double overtime to survive their first meeting with a James Wood team that was still searching for its first district win Tuesday night.

In the rematch, it took nearly all 32 minutes of regulation, but Handley junior Robbie Lawler's three-point play with just over two minutes left proved to be the difference in a 62-61 victory over the Colonels at Shirley Gymnasium.

The Judges (10-6, 4-4) clinched the No. 3 seed and will face No. 2 Sherando in next Wednesday's 7:45 p.m. Northwestern District semifinals at Skyline High School.

The Colonels (4-17, 0-8) will be the No. 5 seed and face No. 4 Skyline (15-7, 3-5) in the play-in game on the Hawks' homecourt Friday night at 7. "In our district anything can happen, and right now we've lost two games to one team [Millbrook] and beaten just about everybody else [at least once], so you can't take any nights off," Dixon said. "That's a tribute to the guys who are playing in our district - all the kids and all the coaches."

Handley overcame a bit of an off shooting night from Lawler, who went 3 for 8 from the field during the second half before his three-point play put the Judges ahead 62-59.

Handley's Kyle Murph (11 points) started to dribble into the paint before dumping off a nice look to Lawler, who was fouled by Wood's Chris Skinner.

Trailing by three with 1:12 left, Skinner missed a 3-pointer, but Handley also missed on its next possession.

Skinner, who scored all of his team-high 14 points in the second half, scored on a layup to cut Handley's lead to one with 48 seconds left, and Colonels coach Al Smith called a timeout.

Handley's Derek Dowrey (14 points) missed a pair of free throws with 26 seconds left, giving James Wood a final chance.

Chad Potter's jumper from near the top of the key was off the mark, and Lawler controlled the rebound as the final seconds ticked off the clock.

Dixon said his team's execution was the key to the victory, particularly on Lawler's three-point play.

"It was a team effort, because I think a lot of guys did a lot of things to help make that happen for [Robbie]," Dixon said. "He made a big, clutch basket and put the free throw in. We learned a lot from tonight, so [we learned] a lot of good."

Lawler said the Judges expected a challenge after needing double overtime to win the first meeting 71-69 Jan. 21.

"We know they don't have the best record, but their record doesn't show how good they really are," Lawler said. "Last time we went into double overtime, so we knew we were going to have a fight."

James Wood certainly put up a fight, rallying from an eight-point deficit after the first quarter to take the lead late in the half.

Potter led the charge, scoring nine of his 13 points in the first half. He knocked down a 3-pointer and followed that up with a runner in the paint to tie it 28-28 with 2:20 left before halftime.

Lawler answered with a 3-pointer, but a putback and then two free throws from Mason Smith put the Colonels ahead 32-31.

But Handley connected on three 3-pointers in the first half, and Jacob Rudolph's three just before the buzzer put the Judges ahead 34-32.

Skinner carried the Colonels in the third quarter, scoring 10 of his team-high 14 points. His second 3-pointer put James Wood ahead 43-40 with 5:10 left in the period.

James Wood led by as many as five midway through the third, but the lead slipped away after Skinner got hurt with just over two minutes left. Rudolph pulled up for a 3-pointer, and Skinner leapt to block his shot. He landed on Rudolph's shoulders before hitting the floor face first in front of Handley's bench.

"I went for the block and I came straight down," said Skinner, who chipped one of his front teeth and had a swollen lower lip that was cut after the spill. "I went face first, but I should be alright though."

With Skinner out, the Judges closed the third on a 5-0 spurt, getting a three-point play from Rudolph (eight points) followed by a steal and layup from Lawler to tie it at 51-51 going into the fourth quarter.

Skinner returned for the fourth quarter wearing Camden Butler's No. 20 because his jersey was bloodied, and contributed four more points. His layup tied it at 59-59 with 2:33 left, but then Lawler put the Judges in front for good.

"We played well enough to win and put ourselves in position to win," Al Smith said. "When Chris did what he did and lost his tooth and showed the courage that he did to come back into that game, I think that inspired the rest of his teammates in the fourth quarter.

"It was our ball with 13 seconds to play with a shot to win, and it just didn't fall."

For the Colonels, Tuesday night's loss was all too familiar.

"We've lost 10 games in our season that were five points or less," Smith said. "They could have gone either way but unfortunately so far they haven't [gone our way]. But who's to say they won't start going our way on Friday. We've competed with everyone in our district tough. Any one of us really could win [the tournament.]"

- Contact Robert Stocks at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.