Bailey Gives Kennedy Win Over Taft

Basketball, for all its nuances, can be a simple game. Take Friday’s North Valley League game between Kennedy and visiting Taft.

With the score tied and 14 seconds to play, Kennedy Coach Yutaka Shimizu called a timeout. With his team gathered around, Shimizu discarded his playbook in favor of the simple approach.

“We said that whoever had the ball, that when it got to 3 seconds, to shoot it,” Shimizu said. “Any shot. One to win it is all you need.”

One point was all the Cougars got, but that was enough to turn back Taft, 42-41.

Following Shimizu’s instructions, Kennedy got the ball to Cord Bailey at the free-throw line as time was running out. Bailey, who had scored only 2 points in the first 32 minutes, was fouled attempting an off-balance jump shot and went to the line with 2 chances to break the tie.

His first shot hit the rim, but his second hit nothing but net to close the door on Taft.

Kennedy (11-4, 4-1 in league play) took a 33-26 lead into the fourth quarter, but Taft battled back. Dedan Thomas, who finished with a game-high 25 points, scored 10 in the first 4 minutes of the quarter to forge a 36-36 tie.

Kennedy went back in front on 3 foul shots by Randy Brown, who finished with 13 points and 16 rebounds, before the Toreadors went on a 5-0 run over the next minute to go ahead, 41-39, with 1:10 to play.

Kennedy tied the score again on a bucket by Brown, who may have made his biggest play of the night at the other end of the floor. With 32 seconds to play, Taft’s Tony Middleton--who had 10 points--went up for an easy layup that would have moved the Toreadors (14-2, 4-1) back in front. But Brown came sweeping across the paint and blocked the shot, 1 of 4 blocks Brown had in the game.

The victory was a big one for Kennedy but Taft, ranked No. 2 by The Times among Valley teams, didn’t play its typical game; the Toreadors shot only 26% from the field.

Garrett Anderson led Kennedy with 18 points.