Myvett Makes Second Chances Count for Littlerock

LITTLEROCK —  Gene Myvett of Littlerock High stepped to the free throw line.

The Lobos held a one-point lead with 20 seconds left, but he missed both free throws.

With eight seconds left, he had another chance. Same score, same situation.

This time he made both.

The Littlerock senior finished with 31 points, none of them more important than the final two, which capped a 67-64 victory over Quartz Hill in a Golden League opener Friday night at Littlerock.

“He felt like he had let the team down,” said Coach Ben Dale of Littlerock. “The first thing he said to the group was, ‘If they foul me again, it won’t happen again.’ ”

“He doesn’t care how he looks in front of the crowd. He only cares how he looks to his teammates.”

Quartz Hill, forced to shoot a three-pointer in order to tie, had one final chance, but Anthony Johnson missed with four seconds left.

Other than the missed free throws, Myvett looked good in almost every way.

Myvett scored 18 points in the first half, including a reverse dunk after a Quartz Hill turnover to give the Lobos (12-5) a 35-27 lead at halftime.

Myvett did not score in the third quarter, missing both of his shots, but answered with 13 points in the fourth quarter.

“I decided to step up,” Myvett said. “We had to come out hard and strong and take it like it was the last game of the season.”

Quartz Hill (10-6), defending league champion, trailed 50-42 on a three-pointer by Myvett a minute into the fourth quarter.

But the Rebels closed to within 55-54 on a short jumper by Jared Corpening with four minutes left.

“If they get down by eight or nine, they’re not going to go away,” Dale said. “They have a champion’s heart.”

Littlerock, however, had the look of a champion at the finish, with Myvett scoring six points in transition during a 45-second span that started with 3:20 left.

“He definitely played like the best player in the league,” said Coach Bernard Nichter of Quartz Hill. “He hit two free throws with the game on the line. He came up big.”

Johnson scored 16 points and Corpening added 15 for Quartz Hill, which endured its second consecutive game of poor shooting.

Earlier in the week, the Rebels made only 15 of 54 shots (27.8%) in a 14-point loss to Canyon.

Against Littlerock, the Rebels made 28 of 75 shots (37.3%).

“We just didn’t get the breaks,” Nichter said. “You’re going to have games like that.”

Brandon White scored 12 points and sophomore Frank Robinson added 11 for Littlerock, which made 27 of 61 shots (44.3%).

They each finished with 12 rebounds for Littlerock, though Dale cited that the Lobos need to improve their defensive rebounding when the teams meet again Jan. 28 at Quartz Hill.

On that date, Quartz Hill might choose to make a run earlier in the game.

“It’ll be a good one,” Nichter promised.