LaPoynor Outlasts Defending Regional Champ San Augustine in Overtime Thriller

TYLER -- LaPoynor punched, and San Augustine punched back. But it was LaPoynor that landed the final blow Friday evening.

After squandering a 14-point lead in the second half, the sixth-ranked Flyers regrouped and gutted out a 75-72 overtime win over defending regional champion and No. 10 San Augustine in their Class A Division I Region III semifinal at Wagstaff Gym.

LaPoynor (31-4) will face second-ranked Grapeland (32-4) at 4 p.m. Saturday back in Tyler for the right to represent the region at the boys basketball state tournament next week in Austin.

San Augustine, which had a chance to win it regulation before a last-second tip-in attempt rolled off the rim, finished its season at 28-9.

Senior point guard Octavius Crear was a terror all night for LaPoynor, finishing with 31 points, six rebounds and four assists. He was 14-of-21 from the free-throw line for the Flyers, which attempted 37 foul shots as a team.

San Augustine's Jarvis Smith, who scored his team's final six points in regulation and first four in overtime, had 24 points -- 22 in the second half -- to go with nine rebounds. His turnaround jumper gave the Wolves a 69-67 lead after San Augustine's first OT possession.

It was the last time San Augustine led.

Mason Motal, who had 13 points and seven rebounds, knocked down a pair of free throws to tie and James Jackson gave LaPoynor the lead for good -- 69-67 -- with a putback off an offensive rebound with 2:21 remaining.

Smith knotted the game at 69-69 on the ensuing San Augustine possession, but Crear answered with a driving layup to put LaPoynor back on top by two with 1:40 to play. The Flyers left the door open by missing four free throws in the game's final minute, and Dez Randle's 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining cut the Wolves' deficit to 73-72.

Colton Clair gave LaPoynor a 75-72 lead by making both free throws with 13.9 seconds to play. San Augustine had one last chance to tie, but Randle came up short and the Wolves could not get another shot away before time expired.

Randle finished with 16 points, including San Augustine's only two 3-pointers on the night, to go with 14 rebounds. Jamikel Roberts also produced a double-double with 10 points, 10 boards and four steals, while Jeremy Jenkins chipped in with 12 points and two assists in the loss.

LaPoynor closed the second quarter on an 8-1 run to go into halftime with a 35-25 lead. The Flyers extended the lead to 14 points -- 54-40 -- on Xavier Oliver's layup with eight seconds to play in the third quarter.

San Augustine turned up its defensive pressure in the fourth, and a 13-2 run trimmed LaPoynor's lead to 58-57 with 3:47 remaining in regulation. Smith and Randle combined for 11 of the 13 points during the crucial stretch.

Roberts' basket tied the game at 59-59 with 3:12 to play, but back-to-back buckets from Crear gave LaPoynor a 63-59 advantage with two minutes remaining.

Smith then went to work in the low post for San Augustine, scoring on three consecutive possessions to give the Wolves their first lead -- 65-63 -- since midway through the opening quarter.

Jackson then found Motal underneath the hoop to tie the game. With 12.4 seconds showing, San Augustine held for the final shot. Smith spun around and missed, but Randle was there for the offensive rebound. However, his attempted tip-in as time expired glanced off the rim to force overtime.

No. 6 LaPoynor 75, No. 10 San Augustine 72 (OT)

Boys Class A Division I Region III Semifinal

At Tyler Junior College's Wagstaff Gym

San Augustine          14   11   17   23    7   --   72
LaPoynor                 16   19   19   11   10   --   75
SAN AUGUSTINE (28-9) -- Jarvis Smith, 24; Dez Randle, 16; Jeremy Jenkins, 12; Jamikel Roberts, 10; Tyrae Johnson, 4; Jadarren Taylor, 3; Jaylon Taylor, 2; JD Brown, 1.
LaPOYNOR (31-4) -- Octavius Crear, 31; Mason Motal, 13; Seth Anderson, 8; Colton Clair, 8; Lane McClelland, 7; James Jackson, 6; Xavier Oliver, 2.
THREE-POINT GOALS -- San Augustine: Randle (2). LaPoynor: Crear, McClelland.