Kilpatrick Loses on a Technicality, 60-59

Kilpatrick overcame 11- and 15-point first-half deficits only to lose in the Southern regional Division V boys’ basketball semifinals to Price, 60-59, because of a technical foul for calling a timeout it did not have.

The Mustangs controlled the ball after a Price miss, but center Javier Dena, a senior in his first year of organized basketball, called time with the score tied and five-tenths of a seconds remaining at Price. Kilpatrick was out of timeouts.

Senior guard Andrew Howard of Price missed the first free throw after the technical but made the second for the top-seeded Knights (30-3).

“It’s just one of those things that happens,” Kilpatrick Coach Alvin Brown said. “The guy was excited. I hate for it to end this way.”

The Mustangs (27-3) were also bedeviled by Keilon Fortune’s problems shooting free throws late in the game. Fortune made his first eight but missed three of five in the last 1:14.

Fortune scored 24 points, Dena added 13 and Domonic Lacoste 11.

Kilpatrick trailed, 45-36, entering the fourth quarter but outscored the Knights, 10-4, cutting the deficit to 49-46 with 5:17 left.

The Mustangs trailed, 55-49, with 3:41 remaining when Lacoste’s basket began an 8-2 run. Fortune made the first of two free throws with 1:14 left, tying the score, 57-57.

Khalief Washington’s four-foot bank shot with 53 seconds left put Price ahead, 59-57.

Fortune made the second of two free throws with 29.9 seconds and 11.8 seconds remaining, tying the score, 59-59.

The defending state champion Knights opened the game with an 11-0 run, but Kilpatrick responded with 12 consecutive points.

Price used a 20-2 run in the second quarter to take a 36-22 halftime lead.