Humble In control in 18-4A After Showdown win. (Story extracted from HighPoints Weekly Sports Updates - February 3rd Issue)

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Perhaps it was as Humble Boys Varsity Head Basketball Coach David Martinez told another reporter on the scene, an example of past Humble tradition propelling his current basketball team to a crunch-time come from behind victory, 36-34 over hosting Kingwood Park this past Tuesday night.  Or perhaps it was his team’s resiliency in bouncing back not once but three times in the game that saw the winner move into sole possession of first place in 18-4A.

The first comeback came after the homestanding Panthers jumped out to a big lead in the first period.  The second came after that near double digits lead had disintegrated down to a one point halftime advantage for KP.  That slimmest of leads had been built back up to a point of time in the third quarter where the Forest Green and Black could have taken a seven point lead over their Purple guests, but for KP it wasn’t meant to be.  Implored during a timeout by their head coach Dominic Amorosa that they needed to “ …win this possession”, the Panthers could not put the shot in the basket and couldn’t stop Humble from tying it up, 27 all, by the beginning of the fourth quarter. 

However, undaunted, K-Park built the lead back up to six points by the last half of the final period. Then at that point with the Wildcats hitting an ice cold shooting stretch, Kingwood Park decided to go into what appeared to be a semi-stall, only looking to get the shot off if an obvious opportunity presented itself.  After taking the game clock down to the sub two-minute mark and not able to get the shots that they wanted, KP began to lose momentum.   Humble took advantage of Panther missed shots and one crucial missed free throw by K-Park.  Before you knew it, the 34-30 KP lead had vanished under a three pointer by Andrew Turner and the final winning hoop, a short jumper from the leftside, outside the lane by Chevas Wilson making it 35-34 with only 18 seconds remaining. 

Following a missed Justin Chandler layup attempt with just under 8 seconds left in regulation and an Humble free throw by Turner, came a last ditch length of the court defense-breaking  dribble and a blocked running floater from KP’s Adrian Johnson at the buzzer.  Defense, not offense by Humble spelled defeat for the Panthers. They fall a game behind Humble but stay in second place with Huntsville’s shocking overtime loss, 51-48 in New Caney that night, thanks to Justin Martinez’ 17 points for the Eagles.  One never knows but with three of its four remaining games against teams with losing records, it appears Humble is in the district driving seat.

After the showdown, Humble’s Martinez was excited about his team’s poise in light of the score reflecting KP’s kind of tempo.

“We’re just excited to come on this floor against a good team with a fine head coach, and get this win,” Martinez says.

D.J. Southworth who soon will be headed to the Southland Conference’s Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, led the way for Humble with a 13 point effort.  Johnson added 15 for K-Park.  Humble’s season sweep of the Panthers gives the Wildcats the tie- breaker if they end up knotted up for first place.