SFA Reaches Tournament Final for Second Straight Year
By Brandon C. Williams
Southland.org
KATY, Texas - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi coach Perry Clark took one glance at the box score, and his glanced to the numbers that cost his Islanders a 60-53 decision to Stephen F. Austin in a Southland Conference men's semifinal game at Merrell Center on Thursday evening.
Fourteen free throw attempts. Six made. A mark of 42.9 percent.
"Anytime you shoot 42 percent from the line is a recipe for disaster," said Clark.
The shaky evening from the free-throw line was just the tip of the iceberg for A&M-Corpus Christi's struggles, much of which was caused by a Lumberjack defense that kept the Islanders (17-15) from triggering their fast break offense while also containing guard Kevin Palmer en route to earning a trip to Saturday's title game, where the defending champions (23-8) will play either Sam Houston State or Southeastern Louisiana.
"We knew they would post up," said SFA coach Danny Kaspar, who earned his 400th career win (181 with the Lumberjacks). "Our game plan was to not let them lay it off the glass."
The Islanders, who never led, struggled to generate a consistent offensive run. Unlike Wednesday's 78-66 win over UTSA, A&M-Corpus Christi's up-tempo attack failed to register a single fast break point.
"They play really good half-court basketball, probably the best in the league," said Clark. "We couldn't get much out of our transition game."
SFA's defense made sure Palmer couldn't get much, as well. Palmer, who came in averaging 19.9 points per game, finished with just 15 on 6 of 22 shooting. At one point in the first half, Palmer had missed 10 of his first 11 shots.
The Islanders managed their only sustained offensive run midway in the second half. Trailing 47-37, A&M-Corpus Christi put together a 10-3 run that brought them within 50-47 on a Palmer free throw with 4:43 left. A Palmer jumper pulled them to 54-51 with 3:01 left, but it would be as close as the Islanders could draw.
Three free throws by Walt Harris (15 points) in the final 33 seconds secured the victory for Stephen F. Austin.
The Lumberjacks were successful in playing a controlled game, taking just 46 shots. What helped SFA was an uncanny knack of scoring as the shot clock wound down, a feat they pulled off six times.
Lumberjacks guard Eddie Williams continued his suffocating defensive style against the conference's top scorers, as he was responsible for much of Palmer's frustration during the night. SFA used some double-teaming against Palmer, but it was Williams (10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists) that locked down the All-Southland Conference performer for the second time this season.
"I know he's a great offensive player," said Williams. "I tried to get my hands in his face every chance I could get."
Added Kaspar, "Eddie's a great defensive player. He's Mr. Everything for us. What more can you say? I'm not surprised by how well Eddie played."
Harris, who led SFA in scoring, connected on a jumper with a second left in the first half that gave the Lumberjacks a 33-25 halftime lead after Filip Toncincic's 3-pointer had pushed the Islanders within 27-25 at the 2:34 mark.
Jordan Glynn and Jereal Scott each had 11 for SFA, as the duo combined for 12 of the Lumberjacks' 30 rebounds.
Justin Reynolds led the Islanders with 17 points. Desmond Watt recorded a double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds.