OCR Text |
Show SECTION ID Doily 4 Herald SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 2006 SPORTS EDITOR Darnell Dickson - 344-2555 - ddickson@heraldextra.com 4A STATE BOYS BASKETBALLL CHAMPIONSHIP Provo’s bid for state crown falls short Jared Lloyd loomedlargefor the tired Bulldogs. On Provo’s season-long journey toward the 2006 statetitle, the Bulldogs only hadonefinal climb i “Theyo cateiayed us tonight.I'm al of my unit and what theydid, but wejust didn’t haveit in the right places.” Craig ig Drury Provo head coach onhis team’s performance to get to the top of Class 4A high school basketball. But with thefinal goalin sight, the bus simply ran outof gas. Playingtheir third gamein three days, Provo only managed two points in the third quarter of Saturday night's title game at the E Center and Highland built an insurmountablelead, pulling away for the 56-45 win and the state championship. MATT SMITH /Daily Herald Provo's Kenyn Ki ‘oop, front, catches himself as he drives past Highland’s Eliot Grow while working the ball inside during thefirst half of Saturday's game. “Theyoutplayed us tonight,” Bulldog head coach Craig Drury said. “I’m proud of my unit and whatthey did, but we just didn’t have it in the right places.” The Rams proved to be the deeper team, which resulted in moreenergy forthefinal half of the season. thelead to just four and looked ready to keepthingsclose. But the Bulldogs couldn't getit “Provo is a great team and Druryhas forgotten more about basketball thanI'll ever know,” Highland headcoach Keith West doneonoffense. They had some looks, but they only managed a baseline jumy senior guard Kenyn Koop uring theentire moredepth. I think theygottired Ontheotherend, Provo's defense kept Highlandfrom turning the gameinto a runaway. It only said. “We'rejust fortunate tohave out there.” That was the most apparent after the two teamsreturned from the locker room. Provo hadtrailed for most of the game, but had cut frame. allowed the Ramstoscore 10 points, but the 12-point advantage headingintothe fourth quarter “Weweren't executing the things that I thought we needed to execute,” Drury said. “We weren't attacking as well as we needed to. Other times we've started that way, then grownintoit. Tonight we didn't.” Provo also got hurt with foul problems. Senior center Tanner Gregorypicked up his fourth foul with 3:12left in the third period, forcing Druryto go small. Junior forward Chris Collinsworth picked up foul No. 4 in that devastating third quarter as well, meaning both of the experienced Bulldogs had to play cautiously. “That was big,” West said. “We hada little foul trouble, too but we'rea little deeper. Wealso had a little moreflexibility.” See PROVO, D3 BYU MEN'S BASKETBALL Fantasticfinish “6” convert down the stretch to seal win No. 20 FOR ONE NIGHT, COUGARS FANS GO CROATIAN JasonFranchuk DAILY HERALD The guests of honortraveled 20 hoursto be at the Marriott nthe 34 years since Kresimir Cosiclast played in the Marriott Center on Saturday. So,yes, there was someurgeto put ona good show, BYU did it, winningits regular-seasonfinale against New Mexico, 76-68, andrelishing in the distractions that came with the celebrated night. The school honored lone senior Brock Reichner before, then created an emotional 25-minute halftime celebrationto retire the jersey of Kresimir Center, basketball has become the international language. . For a few hoursSaturdaynight, the population of Croatia grew by NEW MEXICO 20,000, and they all spoke hoops. yy Howelseto explain the over- whelming emotions of the ceremonyretiring Cosic’s jersey? How else to explain the BYU student section,clad in white t-shirts with Cosic’s No. 11 on the front, waving the Croatian flag and chanting his name? ic. They never saw him play, but he BYUfell behind10 points early, but = JimmyBalderom son's gameBYU 76 high 21points N.MEXICO 68 sparked a win was one of them, nonetheless. That's what makesretiring an athlete’s jersey at BYU sospecial. Cosicis only the fourth athlete in schoolhistory to be so honored, andhis No,11 will remain forever in the Marriott Center rafters, that improved along side Danny Ainge’s No.22. the Cougarsto 20-7 overall, 124 in the Mountain West. That was & ood for a tie for second place with Air Force. In front of the largest crowd The Cosic family traveled 20 hours from Croatia to Provo for the ceremony. Cosic's daughter, Ana,just completed her education at BYU. Most of the people who in twoyears (20,732), and some knewher here probably never knewabout her famous dad. Croatian visitors, BYU thrived in its 14th consecutive home win. BYUwonits final six games, and 10 of thelast 11. “This was a very different feel,” BYU coach Dave Rose said, “with everything surrounding our team andthe university right now. But whenit was time to win, we wereready to go.” The Lobos (17-12, 8-8) deserve somecredit, for their effort the first 38 minutes and sense of They do now. The ceremony honoring Cosic waslong overdue and spearheaded by former BYU Athletic Director Val Hale.On his list of things to do if he ever became AD was to get Cosic’s jersey retired. At BYU,the miles of red tape and numerous committeesthat had to approve ROBB COSTELLO/Daily Herald BYU's Lee Cummard, left center, battles for a rebound with New Mexico's Tony Danridge (32), DanielFaris, right center, See BYU MEN, D7 and Blake Harden (25) during the Cougars’ 76-68 victory on Saturday at the Marriott Center. the idea prolonged the prucesspast Hale's tenure. He was dismissed in thefall of 2004. But the ball was See DICKSON, D7 BYU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Lobos pound Cougs in regular-seasonfinale Pete Herrera THE ASSOCIATED PRESS someerrorsin her ‘isions. ALBUQUERQUE,N.M. — Julie Briody has become tite catalyst in New Mexico’s chase ofa fifth straight NCAA tournament bid. The feisty 6-foot juniorreserve she's relaxed, she’s difficult to defend.” The win was the 35th straight at home for the Lobos (21-8, N. MEXICO 74 115 MWO)incon- guard has been on a scoring streak BYU oflate and Saturday she had a career dayin leading the No. 21 Lobos to a 7249 rout of Mountain West Conference regular season champ and No. 18 ranked Brigham Young. “Julie just loves basketball, and I'm trying to get her to calm her down,” said New Mexico coach Don Flanegart. “She has a tendency toget little per and when she does that she makes |e 49 ference games, BYU (23-4, 13-3) lost on the road for the fr this bes coor. Briody, who has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games, scored 16 points and had career-highs of 8 rebounds and6 assists. New Mexico has won three straight MWCtournamenttitles andafourth next week in Denver would extendthe Lobos’ streak of NCAA appearances. The Lobos have been in the Top 25for 15 straight weeks and stand a good chance ofgetting an at-large bideven _if they don’t win the conference tournament. The runaway win overthe Cougars, who cameinto Albuquerque 1340 in road games this season,also helps. Twowins in the NCAA tournament would get the Lobos. into the round of 16 and a game on their homecourt since New Mexico is one of the host sites for this year's regional semifinals andfinals. Senior guard Abbie Letz was asked whatit will take for New Mexico to get that far. “Julie playing, the wayshe did today,” Letz said. “Wecould use more of that.” Briody andLetzrallied the Lobos froma 15-5 deficit. Letz scored all seven of herpointsto start a 16-1 run by the Lobos and Briody hit three of the —_Lobos’seven first half 3-pointers. The Lobos hittheir first seven 3s to take a 32-20lead with 3:32 left in the first half. New Mexicofinished with 10 3-pointers, one below their seasonigh. New Mexico handed the Cougars their worst loss of the season and held themto a season-low pointtotal. BYU clinched the regular seasontitle on Thursday with a win over Colorado State, but coach Jeff Judkins said WWW.HERALDEXTRA.COM '—. CALL 375-5103 TO SUBSCRIBE k JAKE SCHOELLKOPF/Associated Press New Mexico's Julie Briody (40) drives against BYU’s Melinda fe during See BYU WOMEN, D7 the second half Saturday. su |