Boys' Basketball Notebook

Boys Basketball Notebook
By B.J. Koubaroulis
Special to The Washington Post
Thursday, February 21, 2008; VA22

Robinson guard Jimmy Brewer has become an overnight Internet sensation.

After sinking an 75-foot buzzer-beating shot to stun Herndon, 62-59, last week, Brewer became a fan favorite thanks to a YouTube clip posted before he awoke the next morning.

"People I don't even know are coming up to me, and they're like 'Nice shot, Jimmy,' " said Brewer, a 5-foot-11, 155-pound junior.

Robinson led for much of the fourth quarter, but Herndon rallied from a nine-point deficit and hit a three-pointer that tied the game at 59 with four seconds left.

"We actually did a terrible job of holding on to the lead," Robinson Coach Matt McKeag said after the game.

Brewer caught an inbounds pass from Brandon Kuter.

"I flashed to the corner, and the Herndon team kind of started celebrating," said Brewer, who took one dribble past the opposite free throw line and lofted a high-arcing shot that connected after time had expired.

"That initial feeling was just amazing," Brewer said. "I didn't know what to think at first, and then everyone was rushing the court, and I was still trying to comprehend what was happening."

Brewer's shot gave Robinson (9-12 overall, 7-5 conference) its first victory over Herndon (11-9, 6-6) since it joined the Virginia AAA Concorde District in 2004.

The shot also gave Robinson the third seed in this week's district tournament and dropped Herndon to fourth.

"It just floated right in," McKeag said. "I mean it didn't hit any backboard or anything. It was just a one-in-a-million shot."

T.C. Is Perfect in District

T.C. Williams defeated Hayfield, 57-52, on Friday to complete its third consecutive undefeated season in the Virginia AAA Patriot District.

After winning 48 consecutive games against district opponents, the fourth-ranked Titans (19-3, 14-0) enter this week's league tournament in search of their third straight district title.

"This year it means a lot, because nobody clearly expected us to do it this year," said Titans Coach Ivan Thomas, who has also posted a 58-3 record against Northern Region teams since taking over the program in 2005. "There was doubt at the beginning of the year, not only from the outside but even in our own building."

Senior guard Travis Berry (14.9 points per game), junior guard Edward Jenkins (13.7) and 6-foot-7 senior guard-forward Anthony Winbush (12.7) led the returning Northern Region champion Titans back into the postseason.

Although T.C. Williams has the second-most prolific offense (68.5 points per game) in the Patriot District, behind region-leader Annandale, Berry, Jenkins and Winbush are not among the league's top five scorers.

"If we get balance, then we can go further," said Thomas, who is 12-2 in the postseason. "Our system is built like that, and it's a testament to those guys. They can see the benefit of playing together."