SPRINGFIELD -- Through all the disappointment in the win-loss column this season for the Doyle boys, the Tigers have always played tough, hard-nosed defense, which has kept them in games.
That toughness provided the spark Friday night as Doyle upset District 9-2A rival Springfield 46-44 on the road.
The game was tight throughout, although it looked like Springfield had taken over the game during a 2-minute run sandwiched around the end of the third quarter and the part of the fourth.
After Doyle tied the score 30-30 with 41 seconds left and corralled a rebound off a Springfield missed shot, Bulldogs’ guard Isaiah Jackson stole the ball away at halfcourt and drove for a layup as time expired to give Springfield a 32-30 lead going into the fourth period.
Jackson scored the first six points of the fourth quarter on two 3-pointers to give the Bulldogs a seemingly insurmountable 38-30 with 6:05 remaining, but the Tigers came clawing back.
Eli Dawsey hit a 3-pointer and Landon Wascom a layup to cut the advantage to 38-35. Cam Fox put Springfield back up 41-35 with a 3-pointer, but six straight points, including four from Tristan Jones on a 3-pointer and a free throw tied the game at 41-41 with 2:20 left.
Springfield’s Matt Kreutzer made two free throws with 1:48 remaining to give the Bulldogs a two-point lead.
Doyle’s Brennan Harris missed a layup but made an incredible save as the rebound was going out of bounds under the basket, throwing the ball off of a Springfield player. Dawsey then made a jumper to tie the game 43-43 with 48.4 seconds left.
After a timeout, Springfield’s Mikail Brown was fouled and made one of two free throws with 30.3 seconds left. Doyle took the ball up the floor and called a timeout with 21.7 second remaining.
Tristan Jones took the inbounds pass at the top of the key, drove the lane for a layup and drew a foul on Sawyer Blankenship. The free throw was good and Doyle had a 46-44 lead with 15.3 seconds left.
Springfield declined to call timeout and tried to get a shot off from the corner, but Doyle knocked the ball out of bounds with 2.7 seconds left. The Bulldogs then called timeout to set up a final play.
Jackson took the inbounds pass and launched a 3-pointer with two defenders in his face and the ball glanced off the rim. Reeves Blankenship tipped the ball in, but the basket came after the buzzer sounded, giving the Tigers the hard-fought victory.
Tristan Jones said the way his team played was the biggest key to victory.
“We just couldn’t give up,” he said. “When we get down, we just have to claw back.”
Jones said he wanted the chance to make that last play for the Tigers.
“Most definitely, I was going to take the shot,” he said. “It was tough, especially with the crowd they had. They did everything they could do, but we got the win.”
Doyle coach Daniel Kennedy said the plan all along was for Jones to take the winning shot.
“We tried to isolate him and set a high screen,” Kennedy said. “I told him to create off that and if they collapsed he could kick it out but he was able to get it all the way to the rim.”
Kennedy could not say enough good things about the way his team played against the more physical Bulldogs.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the effort because we had a chance to fold,” Kennedy said. “Our guys showed a lot of composure when we went down eight. Everybody contributed something.”
The first quarter was a slow one for both teams as Springfield led 8-5 after one period. Things picked up the rest of the way, as both teams scored in double digits in each of the remaining three quarters.
Doyle got 14 points and 5 rebounds from Tristan Jones, 12 points, 3 rebounds a steal from Dawsey and 9 points on three 3-pointers from Cameron Jones. In all, Doyle made eight 3-pointers.
Springfield was led by Cam Fox’s 12 points, while Jackson had 10. Reeves Blankenship and Brown each had six boards for the Bulldogs and Jackson had two steals.
Bulldogs’ coach Mark Erdey said good defense by Doyle along with some key mistakes by his team cost Springfield the victory.
“We had a big lead but they did a good job of climbing their way back in it and they put themselves in a position to win,” Erdey said. “We were in a position to win as well at the end, but it turned out (to be a win) for them.”
Both teams will play their next game at home Tuesday as Doyle hosts St. Helena Central and Springfield entertains Christian Life.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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DOYLE 46, SPRINGFIELD 44
Doyle 5 14 11 16 -- 46
Springfield 8 10 14 12 -- 44
Doyle (46) -- Tristan Jones 14, Eli Dawsey 12, Cameron Jones 9, Dean Landor 6, Hunter Stovall 3, Landon Wascom 2. Totals 15-44 8-15 46.
Springfield (44) -- Cam Fox 12, Isaiah Jackson 10, Matt Kreutzer 7, Reeves Blankenship 6, Mikail Brown 4, Bryce Johnson 3, Sawyer Blankenship 2. Totals 17-51 6-12 44.
3-point goals -- Doyle 8 (T. Jones 3, C. Jones 3, Stovall 1, Dawsey 1), Springfield 4 (Jackson 2, Fox 1, Kreutzer 1). Records: Doyle 10-17, 2-1 District 9-2A; Springfield 12-11, 2-2. Up next: St. Helena at Doyle, 7 p.m. Tuesday; Christian Life at Springfield 7 p.m. Tuesday.
