Dirty South Game Of The Week

Ivan McDowell, Southeast/Mid-South Editor

Lee Generals outlast Johnson Jaguars in barnburner

Woods and Robinson combine for 52 points in playoff thriller

February 11, 2007 - Kurtis Woods torched J.O. Johnson High School for 31 points, while top junior Chase Robinson added 21, helping propel Lee High School to a 72-65 victory Friday, Alabama 5A playoff action.

Woods opened the game with eight straight points for the Generals, but his team couldn’t shake Johnson early. Cameron Logan, who finished with 17 points, then proceeded to score the first five for the Johnson Jaguars, setting the stage for one of the more memorable playoff games in recent history.

Junior Chase Robinson, who is being recruited by many SEC schools, continues to impress. (McDowell)

The Generals looked as if they would run away with it after the opening flurry and led 19-12 after one thanks to the 6’3 Woods.

Lee kept the pressure on in the second quarter with a trapping defense and the aggressiveness of Woods and future high-major junior guard Chase Robinson (For coverage of both Woods and Robinson, click here). Back-to-back three’s by Chase gave the Generals their largest lead of the half at 34-23. Robinson scored 13 in the half to go with Woods’ 12, but Lee led by just seven, 38-31 at the break.

Johnson was able to stay close behind the play of lanky 6’4 guard/forward Pat Carr (11 points) and the insistent Cam Logan.

The Lee advantage ballooned to 45-32 midway through the third quarter, while Johnson struggled to handle the Lee pressure only to miss countless lay ups after finally broke through the swarming Generals defense.

Interestingly, Lee began to relax just a bit and that’s when the Jags caught fire. Johnson embarked on an amazing 30-10 run over the next quarter.

Cam Logan, after previously underperforming played excellently, with a floater in the lane off of a Josh Langford (9 points, 8 boards) pass to cut the deficit to three, 55-52, at the 6:19 mark of the fourth.

Six quick points, including a trey from senior guard Roy McDonald gave Johnson a 58-55 lead, it first lead since 3-0. The Jags lead swelled to as much as seven, 62-55, before Lee awoke from their daze.

Frosh phenom Joshua Langford scores 9 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in Johnson's loss. (McDowell)

With 5:08 to play in the game and the Jags having just climbed the mountain back to take control of the contest, Coach Ken Betts inexplicably decided to run some clock and play some stall ball. This move may have cost Johnson the win: What the play call did was destroy the momentum Johnson had built while it seemingly inspired the favored Generals to stage a comeback of their own.

Trailing with 2:14 left to play, Kurtis Woods made one of two free throws and then battled inside for a tough lay in just seconds later that pushed Lee back in front, 65-63.

Johnson continued to wilt once Lee regained the lead, as Langford missed a chippy at the cup and the Jags turned the ball over on their next two possessions. Lee made its free throws down the stretch, icing a 72-65 victory.