By Andrew Snyder Staff Writer - Plano Star -
Created: Saturday, January 31, 2009

PLANO - Plano Senior is now the No. 3 team in District 8-5A.

After defeating Plano East 49-44 the Wildcats have set themselves a step ahead in the playoff race.

“It puts us in good shape,” said Phil Parlin, Plano head coach. “[The playoffs are] in front of us. We still have some games to play and we’ll see what happens.”

The intensity level of this intercity faceoff was only further evidence of how close a race it has become. After two quarters of dead even competition, Plano’s blitz to the win began when late in the third junior Zach Robles started to turn the game the Wildcat’s way.

Robles was responsible for the Wildcats last three scores of the quarter with a two point, two point, three-point string to keep them in contention and lessen East’s lead to 38-34. They were his sole points of the night and they came when most needed. Closing in on the buzzer, he aided further with a rebound of East’s last scoring attempt which kept the Panthers from another push on the goal even when they stole the ball back half the court later.

The Wildcats continued to find success on the boards as junior David Thompson placed a missed shot from Plano back in the basket to start the last quarter.

It was again a single basket, 38-36, game.

It stayed that way over the next few minutes as each team rebounded the others’ missed shots and took the ball across court only to give it back on the next rebound. When the score hit 40-36 Plano and East dropped the added move and just stole the ball back from one another.

East junior Tyler Hysell managed a layup and Plano senior Rex Burkhead had two free throws to temporarily break the stalemate, but then Thompson shoved the ball back in the face of an East drive to slow the scoreboard back down.

“We didn’t execute in the last minute,” said Doug Bleadorn, East head coach. “You’ve got to score points at the end.”

In control now, the Wildcats decided to speed things back up.

Momentum gained from a three-point package from Plano sophomore Rashad Smith, a charge inside and one free throw, transferred into the hands of sophomore Clayton Parlin, who swiped the ball from the Panthers and safeguarded it all the way back across the court and through the net.

Plano was up 43-42 and the Panthers got aggressive. Unfortunately, it only helped the Wildcats.

The East defense gave them six free throw shots, three of which they made, and the game ended with Thompson stuffing the Panthers last shot. He had eight game-wide points of his own.

“[Thompson] took care of the paint for us today,” Parlin said.

The most noticeable element missing from the East offense was junior Avery Redmond. Usually the Panther’s lead scorer, he was shutout completely by Plano.

East had been electric to start the game off. In the first half the Panthers could shoot from anywhere; the ball just gravitated toward the goal when it left the hands of their shooters.

“They hit all kinds of shots,” Parlin said.

Junior Dmitriy Chernikov had two three-point shots in the first quarter and junior Grayson Carroll matched him by the end of the half. Chernikov’s standout shot was a three-pointer to end the opening eight minutes of play and establish a 16-11 Panthers lead.

East continued its run into with buckets from senior Keon Motayne, Hysell (who had some impressive rebound work) and another from Chernikov. The Panthers fell behind Plano by halftime, but they again charged into the lead as soon as they landed back on the court.

Carroll notched another three-point shot to motivate the East offense into another drive. Chernikov hit another long shot to match his fellow shooter (he and Carroll shared a point total of 11) and a basket from senior Trayveon Wiley put the Panthers up 33-27.

But Plano drained their lead from there and the East offense sputtered towards game end. This loss to the Wildcats puts the Panthers in a tough position for the rest of the season.

“It just makes it more of a dogfight in the end,” Bleadorn said. “We’ve got to go and take care of business against Wyle.”