Shaw column: Unforgettable run ends for seniors

West Rowan's Kajuan Phillips (21) eyes the hoop in 3A Western Regionals at UNC-G. Concord defeated West Rowan. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

West Rowan's Chris Smith tries to block Concord's Xavier Stywall (23). Photo by Jon C Lakey, Salisbury Post,

West Rowan's Kevin Parks (2) on a lay up in game against Concord High School in 3A Western Regionals at UNC-G. Concord defeated West Rowan. Concord's Darren Black (24), and Griffin Templeton (10) Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

GREENSBORO — And now, the story no one wanted to hear.

There won't be any matching state championship for K.P. Parks, Chris Smith and the rest of West Rowan's boys basketball team. No need to clear any space on the mantel. No reason to unlock the school display case.

The 2009-10 Falcons, a team shown to be more resourceful than scary, will sit out the remainder of the 3A state playoffs after capsizing in a sea of reality Thursday night. A sweet season is over, leaving a less-than-sweet aftertaste.

"I hate that it ended this way," Parks said with a bowed head at UNC-Greensboro's Fleming Gymnasium, West's final-testing place in a season that somehow produced 20 victories. "It's hard to face. As soon as the clock hit 0:00, I knew that was it. Our last go-round as high school athletes was over."

It's over because, in a huge situation, the Falcons came up microscopically small. Their season-ending loss to Concord in the Western Regional semifinals was packed with near-misses, might-have-beens and one devastating fourth-quarter collapse. They misfired on all five of their free throws in the final period and watched a 10-point lead slip through their hands like a wet bar of soap.

"To tell the truth," Smith recalled after unlacing his size-18 sneakers, "I kept thinking, 'Please clock, please run out.' But it wouldn't run fast enough."

No one felt worse than coach Mike Gurley, the maestro of this bump-and-grind symphony. He fought back tears during a post-game interview, recalling the yeoman's work turned in by the blue-collar Falcons.

"I love these guys," he said in a voice resembling No. 2 sandpaper. "I love this team."

What's not to love? This was a team that was supposed to reload and possibly contend for the NPC title this winter. It surpassed expectation, sweeping through the conference tournament, winning 14 straight games and landing three elusive victories shy of a state title.

"It's mixed emotions," level-headed sophomore Keshun Sherrill explained outside the West locker room. "It hurts that we lost — and how we lost. But we weren't even supposed to be here. We were the down team coming into the season. We just worked hard and went as far as we could."

Gurley might pose an argument on that front.

"We'll never accept that," he said. "We thought we could go all the way. What we ran into here was a well-coached basketball team. Scott Brewer's a quality coach, and Jacquise Moore is a big-time player. Their effort was wonderful. We give Concord all the credit."

Moore, a 6-foot-1 junior and the SPC's player of the year last season, was a sniper from the perimeter. He drained three 3-pointers and scored 20 of his game-best 23 points in the second half.

"He can shoot, he can drive to the hole and he just got hot," said Domonique Noble, the West defender assigned to guard Moore most of the evening.

Noble and his mates obviously threw themselves into their work, but their work unforgivingly threw them back. Everything the Falcons dared to dream — all their lofty, exhaulted aspirations — failed to bear fruit.

"We had a theme going into this basketball game," Gurley said. "And that theme was we're gonna play as hard as we can for 32 minutes — and we were gonna accept whatever happens. Frankly speaking, they did it."

They truly did, warts and all. By game's end they realized the climb, of course, was worth the fall.

"I couldn't ask any more of these guys," Gurley said. "They gave me everything."

The final lyric was sung by Smith, who happily offered, "When you throw your heart out there like we did tonight, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

No they don't.