A Thin Line Between Gold and Silver for Pulley
BRONX, N.Y. -- With the proliferation of sports talk radio formats around the country, it seems like we all are forced to relive sporting events long beyond their conclusions.
And since in some ways the internet is akin to sports radio in terms of a place to express one's opinion, it's interesting to note just how close the Howard Pulley Panthers came to finishing place instead of win at the Rumble in the Bronx.
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In order to advance to the GOLD medal division of the Rumble in the Bronx, a team had to finish first in its pool.
Entering Saturday night's final pool game, Pulley was knotted with Philadelphia Elite at 2-0.
Philly Elite led 71-68 entering the final moments of the game. That's when Jeff Halbert (pictured right) knocked down a clutch three pointer to send the game into overtime.
Then in the overtime, the Elite once again held a 75-73 advantage in the final seconds. Halbert hoisted a three pointer that missed, but the refs whistled a foul on 6-8 Philly forward Eric Davis.
Halbert calmly stepped to the line and sank three free throws. Pulley secured first place in the pool, and the rest, as they say, is history.
In a bit of poetic justice, Philly Elite went on to win the SILVER division at the Rumble.
But members of the Elite team were still shaking their heads on Sunday, thinking "what if?"
In order to win a prestigious tournament like the Rumble in the Bronx, you not only have to be very good, but it does not hurt to be a little lucky or have good fortune on your side in crunch time.
Of course, the same thing was probably running through the heads of the Pulley players on Sunday afternoon when Riverside Church's Keydren Clark hit a running three pointer to sent the title tilt into overtime.
But they dug down deeper and pulled out the 79-77 win in the extra session.
"We felt that it was our game in regulation," reflected Pulley Head Coach Ahmil Jihad. "I told the kids in that last time out that nobody is going to determine the outcome other than us."
And when 6-7 forward Kris Humphries grabbed a Riverside's length of the court pass in overtime, Pulley had done just that.