By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

JACKSONVILLE – The Yellow Jackets couldn’t muster the same magic twice in a row. Just three days after Terrell Calhoun hit a last-second three in the sub-regional round against Asbury to send Vincent to the Northeast regional tournament for the ninth year in a row, John Hadder’s bunch fell to a tough Section team by three points in a low-scoring final, 37-34, on Feb. 19.

“I don’t know that either side planned it out that way,” Hadder said, discussing the low-scoring final. “They were a good defensive team and I think we are too. They shot it early well, hit several threes in the first quarter, but I think the shooting percentages ended up being similar.”

Vincent took an early 6-4 lead in the first quarter after Calhoun hit a three and Stephen Campbell sunk one free throw, but that was the only lead the Yellow Jackets enjoyed all day. Vincent did tie the game at 23-23 when Campbell hit a jumper with two seconds left on the clock in the third quarter, but could never pull back ahead.

In the fourth quarter, Zavien Kelley hit a three with less than three minutes remaining to pull Vincent back to within two at 31-29, but Section then scored four points in a row, and the six point lead proved insurmountable for the Yellow Jackets in the end, as they fell 37-34.

While the end was not what Vincent had hoped for, Hadder was still proud of what this team was able to accomplish this season.

“This group came a long way from the summer,” Hadder said. “We had a lot of depth issues, which caused us to have to play a certain way. I know that they wanted more, but I’m proud of what they did and what they accomplished. We got as much as we could out of what we had.”

Datcher was the only Yellow Jacket to reach double figures, and finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Zavien Kelley finished with eight points and Campell finished with seven points and six boards as well.

Vincent finished the season with a 24-7 record.