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59 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, March 6, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 21, 2004 Phoenix claims first Skyline title in 12 years By FRANK SILOW Mail Tribune MURPHY — Brett Ellis has been Mr. Clutch for Phoenix. And the senior point guard didn’t disappoint in the Pirates’ most important game of the season Friday. Ellis hit the game-winning shot as Phoenix defeated Hidden Valley, 45-42, to capture its first Skyline Conference boys basketball championship since 1992 in front of a loud, overflowing crowd at the Mustangs’ gym. The seventh-ranked Pirates (22-2, 13-1 Skyline) will have more than a two-week wait before hosting a Class 3A state playoff game on March 6. Confe-rence runner-up and eighth-ranked Hidden Valley (20-4, 12-2 Skyline) hosts the Sky Em League No. 3 team in post-season action March 2. Advertisement Ellis made a 10-foot baseline jumper from the right side with 20 seconds remaining to give Phoenix a 43-42 lead. Then the athletic Ellis knocked the ball loose from Jordan Hayter, and Phoenix’s Nathan Bursk was fouled after winning a scramble for the ball with six seconds left. Bursk made both ends of the one-and-one for the final margin. Nick Hayter, who scored nine of his game-high 22 points after re-entering the game with four fouls with 6:56 to go, missed a high-arching 22-footer to tie the game at the buzzer. "It felt pretty good," said a subdued Nick Hayter about his final shot. "But it’s at the end of the game and my legs were a little bit gone." Ellis didn’t shy away from taking the crucial shot after missing one a minute earlier. Ellis worked free in the key but couldn’t convert an open 10-footer that would have given the Pirates a three-point lead with 1:15 remaining. Nick Hayter took advantage of Ellis’ miss by breaking free underneath and receiving a pinpoint pass from Josh Gotfried for a lay-up that put the Mustangs ahead, 42-41, with 46 seconds left. "I’m the point guard and I felt some responsibility to step up," said Ellis. It’s something he has done throughout the year. Third-year Phoenix coach Kevin Dixon called time out after Nick Hayter’s basket gave Hidden Valley its final lead. Dixon wasn’t at all reluctant to set up the critical play for Ellis. "There’s been four or five games where (Ellis) made a basket when we needed it at the end," said Dixon. "He’s the guy at the end who you want with the ball in his hands because he’ll make a shot or a key pass." Ellis had to improvise off the set pick-and-roll because the Mustangs overplayed him. So Ellis broke behind Mike Smith’s screen and Bursk delivered the ball on the baseline. Ellis finished with 14 points to pace the Pirates, but senior wing Jason Lockett also provided the Pirates with some key contributions — especially in the second half. Lockett scored nine of his 11 points after intermission and gave the Pirates a lift with a high-energy game. "This was for the conference championship," said Lockett. "It was in our hearts, so we dug down deep." The 6-foot-1 Lockett grabbed a team-high seven rebounds in addition to running down loose balls and playing tough defense. "Lockett has become the heart and soul of this team," said Dixon. "When it comes down to crunch time, we want him in the trenches." Phoenix avenged a 67-65 home overtime loss to the Mustangs on Jan. 23. The low-scoring game was close the entire way. The biggest lead of the game was six points by Phoenix on three different occasions. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Smith and Lockett provided Phoenix with what appeared to be a comfortable 41-35 margin with 2:56 remaining. But the Mustangs scored seven straight points to take their final lead with 46 seconds. "Phoenix played great defense," said Hidden Valley coach Norm Hayter, whose team topped 100 points in its previous game. "They stepped it up when they had to." None more than Brett Ellis. PHOENIX (45) — Bursk 13, Smith 5, McKinnis 0, Decuir 0, Lockett 11, Ellis 14, Galligan 2, Bones 0. Totals: 18 5-8 45. HIDDEN VALLEY (42) — Dillon 5, N. Hayter 22, Gotfried 0, Delay 2, Ogden 4, J. Hayter 9, Crowe 0, Orozco 0, Perkins 0. Totals: 19 4-12 42. Phoenix.......................................11 6 13 15 — 45 Hidden Valley.............................11 8 7 16 — 42 3-point goals — Phoenix 4 (Smith 1, Lockett 1, Ellis 2). JV score — Phoenix 66, Hidden Valley 56. Reach reporter Frank Silow at 776-4480, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times