East Rutherford, N.J. (KRT) – Jameer Nelson’s final shot, the last of the game and of his stellar career at St. Joe’s, had just failed to find its mark.
It instead fell into the waiting hands of Oklahoma State’s John Lucas, who moments earlier had given the Cowboys the lead for good with a three-pointer. Lucas then hoisted the ball skyward as the final horn sounded.
Every season, even magical ones like the one St. Joe’s danced through this season, ultimately comes to an end. The end came for the Hawks on Saturday night.
That’s when Nelson collapsed to the floor as the reality of St. Joe’s bitter 64-62 loss to the Cowboys in the East Rutherford Regional Final at the Meadowlands began to set in.
For the next few seconds, the rest of the Hawks stood stunned, bent over with their hands on their knees, the unfamiliar sting of defeat beginning to set in. Delonte West (20 points), the other half of St. Joe’s spectacular backcourt, simply pulled his shirt up over his eyes.
There will be no Final Four visit for St. Joe’s (30-2). Instead, Oklahoma State (31-3) will be making the trip to San Antonio.
It will be the Cowboys’ first trip since the 1994-95 season and coach Eddie Sutton’s third overall.
“Every time I shoot the ball I think it’s in,” said a dejected Nelson, who finished with 17 points. “I wouldn’t shoot the ball unless I thought I could make it.”
Pat Carroll had given the Hawks a 62-61 lead when he bagged a three-pointer with 28 seconds to play, and St. Joe’s, the team some thought should not be a top seed, could almost see San Antonio. But Lucas, who scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, quickly answered with a three of his own with 6.9 seconds left to play.
“I had a terrible first half,” Lucas said. “And I told myself in the locker room that this is my half. I had to step up for my teammates. “I felt like I let them down so I said no matter what I’m winning this game today.”
Lucas’ basket left the Hawks with one more shot to either send the game into overtime or send them to the Final Four.
But this time even Nelson, the superb senior guard who put the little school from Philadelphia on the national basketball map through a 27-game winning streak, an unbeaten regular season and the school’s first run to the Elite Eight since 1981, couldn’t deliver. Nelson’s shot from the top of the key was tipped by the Cowboys’ Daniel Bobik and barely reached the rim. Nelson’s teammates felt it was only right for the person who was largely responsible for St. Joe’s success this season to have the ball at the end.
“Who better to have the ball in his hand?” said Carroll. “He carried us all season.”
“Normally you expect Jameer to make tough shots,” said Hawks guard Tyrone Barley. “Anytime (the ball) leaves his hand it looks good. It was just a little short.”
While most of the Cowboys were busy celebrating their win, a few, led by Lucas, walked over to Nelson, still lying on the floor.
“They really tried to help me out with my emotions,” Nelson said. “They told me what a great player I am, about our season as a team and that we really don’t have anything to hang our heads about. I appreciate those guys. That was good sportsmanship.”
St. Joe’s coach Phil Martelli, who had elected not to call time after Lucas’ bucket, finally came out to center court to retrieve his star guard. When he reached him, Martelli patted him on the back, then put his arm around him and they walked off together for the last time.
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c 2004, New York Daily News.
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

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