03/12/2006
By Brian Porter , Staff Writer

AUSTIN - John Roberson asked the Plano crowd for help. Then he did the rest in a showdown of quick-firing, gun-slinging point guards.

His three-pointer with 2:32 remaining in overtime Saturday was good and though Plano never scored again, it got a good roll on the rim and time expired as the Wildcats clinched their first boys basketball state championship with a 60-58 victory over Humble Kingwood at the Frank Erwin Center.

"I was frozen," Plano post Eric Zastoupil said. "There was nothing else happening for a moment there."

Nic Wise put up a three-pointer for the win with just seconds left in overtime. It began to spin on the right side of the rim and when it came to a stop it tottered on the rim and ultimately drifted outside the cylinder.

Then a couple of tip attempts failed and the buzzer sounded on Plano's first boys basketball state title.

"There was nothing going on in this place for it seemed like eternity," Zastoupil said. "Everything just went blank in my mind."

Plano (29-8) finishes the season winning 19 of its final 20 games. Kingwood (36-6) missed a chance to repeat as the Class 5A champion for the first time since Dallas Kimball won championships in 1996 and 1997. It took Plano four appearances in the state championship, but the campus finally got its state title.

"Wise is a great player," Plano coach Tom Inman said. "John (Roberson) is too."

Roberson hit a three pointer for Plano's final points of the third period. He had the team's final six points of the fourth period. Then he answered Wise's three-pointer in overtime and Plano never trailed again.

"He's a player. He's probably the greatest player I have ever played against," Roberson said. "He kept hitting shots and I had to match him. I didn't want to lose."

Roberson, a transfer from Florida, is a magic charm. He played in the 2004 state tournament in Florida and the following year the state championship in Florida. He won a state title Saturday and was named the MVP of the Class 5A state tournament in Texas.

"We got back and won, this time," Roberson said. "It feels so good. We have the state championship. I love Plano. I just love the city of Plano. This is for everyone. I'm never moving again."

"We're shaving coach's head. He's gonna get a tattoo. There's going to be some crazy things happening in the next 24 hours."

And some crazy things happened to allow Plano to win. The Wildcats were down by 10 points at the end of the first half and in the fourth quarter. Roberson led the rally and eventually hit the game-winning shot.

Plano, the No. 18 team in the final TABC Class 5A state poll, gave the campus its 29th state championship. It was the first overtime game in 14 years and Plano missed six straight free throws to close overtime, but pulled out the win.

Kingwood turned to Mike Singletary in the first period and Nic Wise in the second period to compile a comfortable 33-23 advantage halftime margin.

Singletary hits a pair of three pointers and a field goal in the first period and reached double-figures scoring with 1:20 remaining in the first period.

Wise and Justin Winkfield were the only other Kingwood players to score in the period, but Plano trailed 19-11 entering the second period.

Wise converted 3-of-3 foul shots on a three-point attempt and converted a three-pointer in the first period.

He hit two more three-pointers in the second period and went 2-of-3 from the line in the period after again drawing three shots after being fouled on a three-pointer. Wise was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line and 3-of-5 from the perimeter in the first half.

Joe Fulce was about all of Plano's offense in the first half. His 10 points was more than half of the scoring by the team.

Fulce went 5-of-8 from the field in the first half, continually hitting mid-range turnaround jumpers.

Kingwood was hot, though. The Mustangs converted 9-of-20 field goals and 6-of-10 three-pointers in the first half. The team also went 9-of-13 from the free-throw line, while Plano sank 4-of-4 shots.

Plano led twice in the first half and then Kingwood made a charge. John Roberson hit the first shot of the game from three-point land for the second time in as many days and Plano had a 3-0 advantage. Lawrence Mann later hit a field goal and both ends of a two-shot foul to give Plano a 7-4 advantage.

Kingwood took over with an 8-0 run. Plano answered with a field goal and Kingwood closed the period on a 7-2 run. A 4-0 run to open the second period helped Pla no trim the margin to six points and Fulce had a pair of baskets to answer Kingwood shots in the final five minutes of the first half.

Dondre Wise was the knife. He hit a fadeaway three-pointer from the corner at the buzzer. He had left the court and was headed to the locker room before his shot fell from the sky and snapped the net.