Red Devils Lose District Championship in Heartbreaking Fashion

The Williston Red Devils lost Friday night to the Hawthorne Hornets by a score of 56-54.

Hawthorne’s Dre Lawrence hit the game-winner with 1.3 seconds left on the clock to seal the deal.

Game winner tonight in the @FHSAA 1A District 7 Championship tonight. @AgentD_4 hit the nice step back jumper over the defender to seal the deal for @HawthorneHoops #Champs pic.twitter.com/DH2rtjLTP0

— Trey Johnson (@treyboogie5) February 13, 2021

“I practice that a lot,” said Lawrence of his step-back jumper. Lawrence said he’s never envisioned that moment, but it was a dream come true.

As for the Red Devils, it’s back to the drawing board.

Assistant Coach Carl James said the team will be practicing free throws and learning their offensive sets in practice next week as they prepare for the regional quarterfinal.

First Half

This isolation ball led to a slow start from the Red Devils who were down 12-4 at the end of one. The team simply could not buy a bucket from the field.

They woke up in the second quarter.

After looking rattled in the first, Williston opened the second on a 13-5 run thanks to the intensity of seniors Rashaud Nelson and Keith Mcguire. Williston was able to knot the game up at 17 halfway through the quarter and took a brief lead shortly thereafter.

Nelson took a charge with two minutes left in the quarter, leading to a go-ahead three from Mcguire.

At halftime, the game was tied at 25.

Second Half

Tight.

The teams traded baskets for a few minutes until Hawthorne opened the game up to six by hitting back-to-back threes in the third quarter.

Hawthorne led 41-38 after three.

The fourth was even tighter than the third.

Williston was able to take a five-point lead with five minutes left in the game. The Hornets and Red Devils continued to trade baskets until Williston senior guard Jokeriyan Davis tied the game at the free throw with 1:39 remaining. Nelson would foul out 12 seconds later.

James had this to say after the game:

With the game tied Hawthorne tried to play keep away but turned the ball over with 26 seconds remaining. Williston also tried to hold for the last shot but turned the ball over with 17 seconds.

The rematch between the teams who went to overtime the last time they met, came down to who had the ball last.

That’s when Dre Lawrence happened.