White Steps Up, Makes the Game-Winning Shot for Harbor

The plan was for Jerry Allen to take the last shot, but the El Camino College defense wouldn’t let him get the ball.

So, with time running out, Frank White, who was deep in the right corner, decided to take it. He looked at the clock.

“I saw nine, then eight,” White said. “I went baseline, brought it back out a little and shot it. Somebody had to shoot it.”

The high-arching shot over two defenders swished through the hoop to give Harbor College an 88-87 lead with five seconds left in the game.

That became the final score after freshman guard Jason Anthony missed a three-point shot at the buzzer.

White’s game-winning shot came after his only other basket--a three-point shot with one minute left--that gave the Seahawks an 86-85 lead.

Warrior forward Barnabas James, who had 19 points, made a layup with 45 seconds left to give the Warriors an 87-86 lead.

Then came Allen’s heroics.

The Warriors finished the season 10-20 and 0-10 in the South Coast Conference. The Seahawks (17-14, 6-4) have a good chance of being selected for the state tournament when the pairings are announced this week.

The finish made the loss more difficult to deal with for El Camino.

“Your heart drops to your feet,” James said. “It was the last game for me and the last game for Mark (Johnson). Oh man, I’m so disgusted.”

Johnson led the Warriors with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Allen led all scorers with 27.

Anthony, who thought his final shot was good when he released it, said it was fitting the attempt missed.

“It was kind of typical of the season,” he said. “So close, but so far.”