Pine closes out 2014-15 season with playoff loss to 5th-seeded North Caddo
Published 9:16 am Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Pine ran into a difficult opponent Friday, and had its season come to an end with a 75-39 loss to North Caddo Magnet High School on the road in the bi-district round of the Class 2A state playoffs.
Pine hung tough in the first quarter against the fifth-seeded Rebels. The Raiders trailed by just four at 16-12 through one period of play. North Caddo broke the game in the second, outscoring Pine 15-2 and took a 31-14 lead to the break.
“Even though the game got away and we lost, the guys gave it their all, and that’s all we could ask for,” Pine coach Josh Williams said.
Williams praised North Caddo, saying the Rebels are an excellent team.
“I think they could make a run at the title,” Williams said. “They run the break really well, and they get in your face defensively. They are a really good team.”
The win put North Caddo’s record at 26-3 this season.
Last season, North Caddo made the state semifinals as the No. 28 team. They lost to top-seeded Riverside Academy, 101-52. Riverside was the eventual state champion.
Riverside is the top seed once again and is in the quarterfinals after a pair of lopsided victories to begin the playoffs. Riverside downed No. 32 Springfield, 123-51 to begin the playoffs, and then was victorious overNo. 16 Isidore Newman, 107-55 in the regional round of the postseason.
North Caddo played 21st-seeded St. James last night.
The winner faces either fourth-seeded Welsh or No. 13 Doyle in the quarterfinals.
Jordan Phelps led the Raiders in scoring with 16 points.
Ty Galloway finished with eight points for the Raiders.
Trey Cooper posted six with Lowal Pittman at four.
Hunter Cooper tallied three, followed by Bryson Knight’s two.
The Raiders had two seniors on this year’s team in Cooper and Phelps.
“Both of them worked so hard and are wonderful teammates,” Williams said. “Hunter is a great scorer, one of the best I’ve seen come out of Pine. Jordan is an excellent rebounder. He’s an excellent scorer for a big man and a very good defensive player.”
Pine, which is the 28th-seeded team, finished the 2014-15 campaign with a 14-16 record.