Boys basketball: Bulldogs win memorable Senior Night

Feb. 3—OTTUMWA — There was still a long way to go on Thursday night and only a five-point deficit to make up.

Still, considering how the final 14 minutes played out at Evans Middle School Gymnasium, one could say the Ottumwa High School boys basketball team was saved by the bell against Centerville.

Trailing 30-25 early in the third quarter, the Bulldogs were seeking to slow down the momentum of the visiting Big Reds. Suddenly, with Centerville looking to extend a 5-0 start to the second half, the fire alarm went off forcing both teams and all spectators to exit the gym causing a delay that lasted for 24 minutes.

When play resumed, Ottumwa scored 16 of the next 18 points rallying for a 49-43 non-conference win on a memorable Senior Night for the Bulldogs.

"The fire alarm breaks are certainly something we're never going to forget," Ottumwa head boys basketball coach Neil Hartz said. "When these kids think back to Senior Night 2023, they're going to remember going outside in two-degree temperature in their basketball uniforms."

Shakur Pope, one of the nine seniors honored prior to tip-off, came prepared. Both he and younger brother Rahsha were able to slip on their winter jackets over their uniforms, making for a unique fashion statement on Senior Night.

"That fire alarm thing was something else," Shakur Pope said. "It's something I'm not going to forget. It was really crazy sitting outside without socks on trying to stay warm."

Ottumwa may very well have come back no matter what, having already erased a five-point lead built by the Big Reds in the first quarter. The Bulldogs scored 10 straight points to open the second quarter, building a five-point lead of their own, before Centerville answered back outscoring Ottumwa 11-3 over the next four minutes to take a 25-22 lead.

Trae Brown, however, sent the two teams to the locker room tied at 25-25 by sinking a 3-pointer seconds before the end of the first half. Neither team led by more than five points through the first three quarters, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

In the end, it was Ottumwa (4-11) that had the stronger finishing kick. Rahsha Pope scored three straight points off a pair of steals early in the fourth quarter, helping the Bulldogs open the biggest lead for either team, before sinking a 3-pointer later in the period off a pass from senior Allen Cook IV opening a 46-35 lead for Ottumwa.

"It was something that gave us a chance to rehabilitate the momentum that we had in that second quarter," said Shakur Pope on the impact of the fire alarm delay on the Bulldogs. "It was also a chance to get an extra break. I was pretty tired at halftime playing hard defense out there."

Defense proved to be a decisive factor in the win for the Bulldogs. Ottumwa forced Centerville into 25 turnovers with 16 steals from six different players turning the tide squarely in Ottumwa's favor.

"Ball pressure was the difference in the game," Hartz said. "Our whole philosophy on defense is ball pressure and being in the help. If we get ball pressure and we're in the help, when they try to drive there's nowhere to go. If forces them to pass it around rather than drive and kick out for an open shot. Once it's passed around without the drive, we're there to keep the pressure on.

"There were about three or four times that we almost forced a shot-clock violation. That's how the defense is meant to be played."

Conner Stephens paced Centerville on both ends of the court, scoring a team-leading 16 points while collecting a game-high nine steals. Brody Tuttle added an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double as the Big Reds (2-19) appeared poised to play Senior Night spoiler before being sent out into the cold by a faulty fire alarm.

"I felt like we had everything figured out, were hitting our stride and starting to pick up some momentum before that happened," said Centerville basketball head coach Tyler Baze of the fire alarm stoppage. "It's frustrating, but it is what it is. It was just a change of routine and we just couldn't anything to fall. I don't know what to say about it.

"It definitely sucked having that whole ordeal happening after we came out with five straight points to start the second half," Tuttle added. "It really came down to the right mindset. It went from fire alarm to fire alarm. We just couldn't get locked back in mentally because it was all about that fire alarm."

Shakur Pope was able to share in the glory of his Senior Night with his younger brother, combining for 30 of Ottumwa's 49 points and nine of Ottumwa's 16 steals. Besides the points, the steals and the passes, the brothers were able to share handshakes and hugs after successful plays for one of the last times on Thursday as OHS boys basketball teammates.

"Seeing guys like Trae Swartz and Adam Greiner go on Senior Night, those were special moments to me. I was sad when they left. I'll never forget those guys," Shakur Pope said. "This is one of the last times I get to play with all of these guys, especially Rahsha. We've been playing together all of our lives. It's really something when you've got teammates that have been together this long.

"It was emotional for me. It's one of the last times I'm going to get to play with my brother," Rahsha Pope added. "I just went out there and hooped."

The unique Senior Night began with a unique starting line-up for the Bulldogs. Jared Mitchell and Landon Platten made their first varsity starts after being honored along with Luke Graeve, Cook IV, Bryant Wilson, Tanner Schark, Pope and Kalib Campbell on Thursday.

"I know the student section was ready for five seniors to start for us. All those guys deserved a shot," Hartz said. "The seniors have all worked hard. I wanted to go with those guys to start. They can always say they started and won on Senior Night."

— Scott Jackson can be reached at sjackson@ottumwacourier.com. Follow him on Twitter@CourierScott.