Chargers Hold Off Hornets for Area Championship

Originally Published: Mar 5, 2010 10:59 PM CDT

Curt Hill
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

CATOOSA, Oklahoma – Memorial received a stiff test from Booker T. Washington, but advanced to the 5A state quarterfinals with a 39-34 victory over the Hornets. The Chargers have now beaten the Hornets in all three of their meetings this season.

Cameron Downing scored a game-high 15 points for the Chargers and Adrien Anderson added 7. Korey Billbury led the way in the scoring column for the Hornets with 12.

The Chargers jumped out to a seven-point lead in the first quarter and went into the break up 21-15.

The Hornets slowly clawed back in the third period, and only trailed by three points when Downing was taken out of the game due to foul trouble. Anderson stepped up in Downing’s absence, though, and helped Memorial extend its lead to 31-24 by the end of the period.

Billbury led the Hornets back into the contest once again in the fourth quarter, and cut the Charger lead to three points with 45 seconds remaining. After Juwan Parker stepped in front of a Memorial inbounds pass a few seconds later, the Hornets called timeout to set up a play. Tharone Chilton eventually got the ball on the play, but stumbled and lost possession on a jump ball. The Chargers hit two free throws in the finals seconds and secured the victory.

The Hornets will get another shot at the state tournament when they face Bishop Kelley on Saturday night.