WH standout Rob Poindexter (5) faced intense defensive pressure all night. Photo by Tommy Rouse.

A frustrating fourth quarter brought the basketball season to a screeching halt for the White House Blue Devils Saturday night at Martin Luther King in Nashville, as the homestanding Royals delayed the pace for a 40-33 win.

Senior Rob Poindexter played his final game for White House in a mass of pressure defense as the Devils managed just 13 points in the first half but still led by two. But with time running down in the second quarter – and actually running out – David Sanders dropped in a tying bucket for MLK heading to the intermission.

Unfortunately, the buzzer was three seconds later than the zeroes on the clock and officials ruled the basket good. The Royals took control in the third quarter and eventually built a 33-18 lead in the fourth.

But White House wasn’t finished yet.

Frustrated by a figurative lid on the basket, White House methodically pushed its way back into the game in the final two minutes. But down by eight with a minute left, Poindexter stole the inbounds pass and immediately went up on the baseline for a shot, only to be called for a charge when the basket swished. The result took the points off the board and gave the ball back to MLK. It would not be the last controversial call of the game.

Martin Luther King was charged with a technical foul on the bench and Casey Tidwell hit the free throws.

Still, White House charged back, with Tyler Hill sinking a three to make it 36-33 with 32 seconds left. Sanders took the inbounds and bodies hit the floor, including a defender for White House. But as play continued and second ticked away, White House was called for an intentional foul by chasing and reaching in on Sanders to send him to the line. With free throws plus the ball, the game was essentially over and the lead grew back to seven.

“We played hard, we didn’t quit and we felt like even when it was a minute to go that we could still make a run,” said White House head coach Dee Spencer. “I don’t know what to tell them (to do) on the intentional foul. Everyone in the gym knows we’re going to foul and he (Sanders) is just strong. We reached in for the basketball and we’re trying to foul.”

Tidwell, a member of the All-District team with Taylor Ward and co-MVP Poindexter, led the way with 10 points for the Blue Devils, with he and Ward both hitting a pair of threes. Ward had eight, Darrell Crouch four, Tyler Hill three and Cole Elrod two.  Poindexter led the team all season in points, rebounds and assists but was frustrated in his final game.

“Rob gave everything he had to the game all season and we’re proud of him. He’s an outstanding young man.”

But Martin Luther King methodically controlled the pace of the game with crisp passing and athletic movements through the perimeter, leading to long possessions and easy buckets underneath for Sanders on a baseline cut.

Sanders led all players with 17 and Jestin Williams added 11, as the Royals made 15 of their 28 shots, and five of the 13 misses were from three-point range.

White House struggled from the field with 11-of-32 made baskets and 5-of-17 from three-point range. Both teams had 20 rebounds and less than 12 turnovers.

“It just comes down to making shots,” Spencer said. “We turned it over about eight times in the first half but we only had 13 points. We just have had periods of time all season where we couldn’t make outside shots.”