text: Perfect Foul Shooting In Clutch Wins For Deland - tribunedigital-orlandosentinel
  Perfect Foul Shooting In Clutch Wins For Deland
  December 5, 1986|By Creig Ewing of The Sentinel Staff
  DeLand High School provided a thrilling climax to a standing room only matinee basketball show with Palatka by sinking 14 consecutive free throws in the final six minutes to post a come-from-behind, 59-54, victory Thursday.
  Five Bulldogs combined on the perfect shooting from the free-throw line in the clutch. The Bulldogs (1-1) had hit just 5-of-13 previously. Junior point guard Robbie Wilkes, the leading scorer with 19 points, clinched the victory with six free throws in the final 50 seconds.
  ''I was going up to the line thinking it was just like practice,'' Wilkes said. ''Thank goodness they were enough to win the game.''
  The game had an unusual 1:30 p.m. starting time. To ensure a full house students who purchased tickets were allowed out of class to attend the game in the DeLand gym.
  ''They the fans were like a sixth person out there,'' DeLand Coach John Zeoli said. ''When our kids were pressing and getting steals and everyone was yelling it was like electricity.''
  Paltka (1-1) had a 31-22 lead at halftime and led, 41-35, at the start of the fourth period. Then the Bulldogs' full-court pressure defense, effective throughout the game, completely stymied the Panthers.
  Trailing, 42-37, with 6:55 remaining, the DeLand's press forced several Panthers turnovers, enabling DeLand to put together a 10-point run and take the lead, 47-42.
  Although DeLand, which has an average starting height of 5-11 1/2, probably will be shorter than every team it plays this season, the Bulldogs proved they can win with depth. Zeoli used a platoon system so the minute the five on the court got tired of chasing the Panthers, five fresh players entered.
  ''The platoon was just excellent. The five guys did just as good a job as the starters. It didn't matter who was in there,'' Zeoli said. ''They might have small bodies but their hearts are big. I wouldn't trade these 12 kids for 12 who are 6-9.''
  The Bulldogs got a little too aggressive near the end, fouling the Panthers to let them sink eight free throws and pull within 51-49 with 1:57 left. But forward Ed Miller (8 points) sank a pair of foul shots to increase the lead to four, and Wilkes (who was 7-of-8 from the free-throw line) sank his six to finish the scoring.
  Wilkes, listed at 5-9, 140 pounds, is the son of Stetson Coach Glenn Wilkes. It was his second varsity game.
  ''If there is a kid on the team who wants to take the last shot or any pressure shot it's the Wilkes kid,'' Zeoli said. ''Robbie is going to be a real big help to use this year.''
  Willie Smith (8 points), Keith Ruegger and Henry Curry each also sank two free throws on one-and-one opportunities in the final minutes.
  Eleven Bulldogs played and nine scored. Center Warren Edwards led the Bulldogs with six rebounds. Miller had five.
  Zeoli said he feared the ''third-quarter blues'' that plagued DeLand last year and in a season-opening 54-47 loss to Sanford Seminole Tuesday. The Bulldogs had a 26-23 halftime lead then but shot only four times and scored only four points in the third period.
  As the Bulldogs press wore down the Panthers Thursday, DeLand's shots became even easier or they were fouled setting one up. DeLand scored 37 of its 59 points in the second half.
  Zeoli said he really liked having all the students attend the first afternoon game, and he would like to schedule another one next year.
  ''It's a great way to supplement the program and it's good for the school. It's not something you do every week though,'' he said.
  Tuesday DeLand travels to Lake Mary to play the Rams at 8 p.m.
  ''We needed this one bad. We know we can win,'' Wilkes said. ''We lost a tough one with Seminole. Now Lake Mary better watch out.''