Clarendon’s 1st championship
Broncos ‘play basketball’ to state title By DAVE WOHLFARTH LaMarcus Penigar and Jmaury Davis were there at the end. When it counted the most. Their late heroics sparked Clarendon’s boys to their first state championship in school history as the Broncos edged Grapevine 64-60 in the 2021 Class 2A championship game. With his team trailing 60-59 with 40 seconds left, Penigar drove for the basket and was fouled. He missed his first free throw but made the second to tie the game with 30 seconds left. Penigar then stole the ball from Grapevine guard Riley Murchinson in the backcourt. “I gambled and tried to go for a steal and got it,” Penigar said. He drove for the layup that put the Broncos up 62-60 with 10 seconds left. But Grapevine still had a chance to tie it. Coach Boston Hudson, left, Jordan Herndon, Cayden D’Costa, LaMarcus Peniger, Jmaury Davis and That’s when Davis stepped in. assistant coach Alton Gaines pose with Clarendon’s 2021 Class 2A state championship trophy – and the Grapevine’s Johnny Lane drove toward players’ ring bling. (Photo by Cathy Martindale) the basket, but Davis planted and took the charge with 4.7 seconds to play. “I knew he was a slasher-type player and was trying to get to “In a situation like that, you’re so excited when you go up the bucket,” Davis said. “So I stepped in front of him and took and everybody’s kinda scrambling,” he said. “I want to use my the charge and it turned in our favor.” defensive timeout. That way I could set our defense. And sure Clarendon Coach Boston Hudson said the charge was a close enough, it works out. We take a charge.” call and could have gone either way. Penigar and Davis may have been there at the end, but they “But all season we harped on defense, and in that moment, I weren’t there at the start of the season. Neither was sixth man was thinking it paid off,” he said. Sylvester Ballard. All three were suspended – Davis and Ballard Hudson confirmed that it was the first time all season that the for the first four games; Penigar for the first 12 – for a variety 6-2, 185-pound Davis had taken a charge. Davis, a running back of transgressions. and defensive end on the football team, has a scholarship offer “A lot of it was just doing the right thing and trying to act from Division I Western Kentucky to play that sport. right, hoping that translated to the basketball floor,” Hudson “Always in the season, I chose not to take charges. I always said. “I think it did.” got in trouble for not taking charges,” Davis said. “I took one at Consequently, the Broncos got off to a slow start, losing four the right time.” games in nondistrict play. Their last loss was on Dec. 30 when After the charge, Clarendon scored a final basket on a full-court they traveled to Class 4A Canyon and were defeated 58-45. pass from Cayden D’Costa to Donovan Thompson to cement the The Broncos never lost again. 64-60 win. Thompson was named the game’s MVP after scoring The week after the Canyon loss, Clarendon won at Class 4A 19 points and grabbing five rebounds. Borger 4A 64-57. Hudson called it an ugly win. “We did not play well,” he said. “And the next day, we really ‘Too far to back down now’ got these guys to buy in and play hard. And yes, getting everyNeither Penigar nor Davis was that concerned when the body back helped. We got into a flow of guys learning how to Broncos trailed by a point. play together and sharing the basketball. And we did; we hit our “We kept our heads and kept pushing it,” Penigar said, “and stride and didn’t look back.” that’s what got us the win.” Hudson kept emphasizing the need to play hard at all times. Davis concurred. He punctuated that point with “a lot of running and a lot of “I told some of the players, ‘We came too far to back down screaming and yelling.” now,’” he said. “So we pushed our tempo and ended up winning the game.” Coach Hudson had saved his last timeout until after Penigar’s steal and layup had put the Broncos ahead by two points. 18
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Undefeated in district The Broncos raced through their 10 District 2-2A games (Continued on next page) 2021-2022 Panhandle-Plains Basketball
