It Goes to Overtime, but Cleveland Wins Without Wilson by 1

With Cleveland’s All-American forward, Trevor Wilson, sidelined with an ankle injury, Fairfax was expected to ravage The ‘Land Friday night.

But the Cavaliers, who got 17 points and 14 rebounds from Wilson’s replacement, Antoine Shofner, overcame a spectacular performance by Fairfax’s Sean Higgins to upset The Times’ No. 2-ranked City team, 81-80, at Fairfax.

Cleveland won it in overtime, with guard Damon Greer making a free throw with seven seconds left to provide the winning margin.

The victory was Cleveland’s third without a loss in Valley 4-A League play this season. The Cavaliers have not lost a league game in almost three years, collecting 24 victories.

But, despite that, and despite Fairfax’s 76-73 upset loss to Taft Wednesday, Cleveland was considered an underdog in this one. Fairfax beat the Cavaliers, 81-73, in the final game of the Chaminade tournament less than two weeks ago on a night when Wilson strained ligaments in his left ankle while scoring a game-high 29 points.

Wilson, a walking cast covering his left thigh, was reduced to a role of cheerleader in the rematch.

He had plenty to cheer about as Cleveland (6-5) overcame an eight-point third-quarter deficit despite the efforts of Higgins, the Lions’ silky smooth forward who scored 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting.

“He was phenomenal,” Cleveland Coach Bob Braswell said of the 6-7 junior. “He hit some shots that any other player wouldn’t have hit.”

Almost every time he did, though, Cleveland matched it at the other end.

When Higgins finally missed from the corner in the overtime, Cleveland’s Adrian King grabbed the rebound and was fouled. King’s two free throws gave Cleveland a 79-76 lead with 59 seconds left.

A spectacular follow shot by Higgins made it, 79-78, but Cleveland then stalled the ball until Greer was fouled with 10 seconds left. He made one free throw, missed the second, but got the rebound and was fouled again with seven seconds left. Again, he made the front end of the one-and-one and Cleveland led, 81-78.

Mike Miller of Fairfax scored on a meaningless layup at the buzzer.

Miller had forced the overtime when he took a pass from Higgins and scored on a 12-foot jump shot from the right side of the key with four seconds left.

Fairfax (10-4, 2-2 in league play) led briefly in the extra period until Albert Fann, who led Cleveland with 25 points, scored on a follow shot with 1:31 left.

It was a bright ending to a dark week for Cleveland, which on Monday found out about Wilson’s injury and Shofner’s decision to leave the team because of his father’s illness.

But Shofner reconsidered the next day, returned to the team and the Cavaliers put together some quality practices in preparation for their trip to the Lions’ Den.

“We wanted this so much,” said Shofner, who scored 10 points in the fourth quarter.

Fairfax, though, was hurting, too. The Lions played this week without 6-6 center Chris Mills, who sprained an ankle in practice.

CLEVELAND--Shofner 17; Fann 25; King 6; Greer 11; J. Manligius 10; Wheeler 11; Dixion 1.

FAIRFAX--Higgins 32; Green 20; Gerber 2; Miller 7; Henderson 14; McKinney 5.