Hurricanes move on in a thriller

A last-second shot in double overtime puts Palm Harbor University in the final with Clearwater.

By BOB PUTNAM
Published February 2, 2007

CLEARWATER - The ball had smacked off Sameerah Jones' hand and through the net. Milliseconds later, the buzzer sounded, the crowd roared and the scoreboard affirmed the result: Palm Harbor University 62, Dunedin 60.

The Hurricanes advanced to play Clearwater in Saturday night's final in dramatic fashion and Jones' body language showed it.

She began whooping, hollering and dancing after her last-second shot beat the Falcons in double overtime and helped PHU (18-8) make the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

"I don't think I've had a game-winning shot like that since I was 10," said Jones, whose father is former Clearwater High and Minnesota Viking star Hassan Jones. "And I don't ever think I've ever been in a game that came down to double overtime before."

Dunedin's Kellie Van Patten hit a layup with no time left in regulation to send the game to overtime. From there, both teams matched each other shot for shot until Jones' layup.

"I went up to grasp the rebound and once I threw the ball up I knew it was going to go in," said Jones, who scored 16.

In the other semi, the Tornadoes (24-2) knocked off defending district champion Largo 50-32. Keona Dixon had 13 points to lead Clearwater.

[Last modified February 1, 2007, 23:58:37]