FORT WALTON BEACH — A gutsy comeback by Crestview High School’s boys basketball team came up short Monday in the opening round of the Luxe Sports Grill Shootout at Choctawhatchee High School.
Down 56-43 to South Gwinnett, Ga., with 2:04 left in the fourth quarter the Bulldogs scored eight unanswered points before running out of time and falling 56-51 to the Comets.
Crestview continues play in the tournament at 12:30 p.m. today against Robertsdale, Ala.
Crestview-South Gwinnett boys basketball photos>>>
“I thought we played pretty well most the time,” Bulldog Coach Greg Watson said. “We played hard any way. We just had a little dry spell there in the middle of the fourth quarter and they went on a little bit of a run.
“They kept us in it by missing free throws late, but we were a couple of possession too late. They are a good, well coached team so it was good to play them.”
The Bulldogs (7-6) spent most of the game playing from behind.
Roberto Gallinat, the game’s leading scorer with 17 points, wasted no time in making his presence known scoring the first five points of the game for South Gwinnett.
Tay King hit a 3-pointer with 4:58 left in the first quarter to put Crestview on the board.
The Comets pushed the lead to 9-3 before a Damien Lett score for the Bulldogs. But for every Crestview answer South Gwinnett had an answer of its own matching the Bulldog scores.
King and Rusty Moorer kept the Bulldogs close early in the quarter and Lett continued to make his presence known in the latter stages of the quarter.
Lett scored all seven of his points in the first quarter. His final score, a basket at the buzzer, pulled Crestview to within a point of the Comets at 18-17.
Crestview took its first lead of the game early in the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Dakota Childree. But the lead didn’t last long as Gallinat scored the game’s next four points. The Comets led 28-24 at the half, but it would be a while before South Gwinnett could shake Crestview.
Marquis McClain carried the scoring load for Crestview early in the third quarter scoring all six of his points. But it was Keenan Redd’s only basket of the game with 3:30 left in the third quarter pulled the Bulldogs even at 34-34. A Wesley St. Vil 3-pointer with 2:26 left in the third put Crestview in front 37-36.
The Comets closed out the third quarter with an 8-1 run to take control of the game.
A Dallas Jackson basket with 2:04 left in the fourth quarter gave South Gwinnett a 56-43 lead.
Moorer hit a 3-pointer for the Bulldogs to pull Crestview to within 10 points of the Comets and start the late rally that fell short.
Moorer led Crestview with 13 points. King scored nine points for the Bulldogs.
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Rally falls short for Crestview boys (PHOTOS, VIDEO)