Timberview boys basketball falters at Cedar Hill

By Kevin Casas

Special to the Star-Telegram

CEDAR HILL — Cedar Hill put the brakes on any potential split with Mansfield Timberview, pulling off some final moment heroics Tuesday to grab sole possession of fourth place in District 7-5A.

Longhorns' guard Kealon Clayborne knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner with 47 seconds remaining, sealing the 45-41 Cedar Hill win.

Cedar Hill now takes a one-game lead into the final week of the regular season for the final playoff spot.

“They do a lot of things that are aging me quickly,” Cedar Hill coach Tim Thomas said. “But it sure speaks to the character of this team that they continue to fight in this kind of environment.”

Timberview (25-8 overall, 5-7 in district) was looking for a crucial split of the district series, which would have given them at least an outside shot at the final playoff spot with two regular season games remaining. The Timberwolves now need some help along with wins in the final two games against Midlothian and Duncanville.

Cedar Hill (18-11, 6-6) won last month’s meeting 47-39 and faces Mansfield and Midlothian to finish the season

The Longhorns used a 16-5 run into the third quarter to take a 32-25 lead, but Timberview roared back with a 15-4 run of its own and a 40-36 lead with 4:00 remaining in the game.

Four late free throws by Cedar Hill's Jalen Jones, and Clayborne's 3-pointer -- on a pass from Charles Wesley -- was too much for Timberview to overcome.

“That’s one of those where you don’t have time to think,” Clayborne said. “It was a designed play and Timberview actually had a guy move over just a little, but Charles still had faith in me to take the shot.”

Jones finished with 21 points to lead all scorers and Clayborne had 11.

The Timberwolve’s JV Long supplied seven points and Alex Robinson six during the 15-4 run that gave them a lead and chance to close things out.

Robinson led Timberview with 13 points and Long finished with 11.

“I really feel like this is perhaps the toughest district in the state,” Thomas said. “We played a tough schedule and almost every game was like this.”

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