Strange things happen this time of the year. Teams that have struggled all season find their mojo and can roll off three straight wins for an improbable district title.

Then you have it the other way — where a team riding a wave of momentum gets knocked off in their first game, and the season ends just like that. No second chances. No double-elimination. It’s just over.

Liberty’s boys basketball team found that out in a 53-50 overtime loss to Park Hill South on Feb. 24. The No. 1-seeded Blue Jays were coming off a first-round bye to meet the Panthers in the semifinals of the Class 5 District 16 tournament at St. Joseph Central High.

The Blue Jays needed a last-second 3-pointer to upend the Panthers in a meeting at Park Hill South earlier this season, but sadly, there was no last-second magic this time around for Liberty.

“It was disappointing for us because we let a lead slip away,” Liberty coach Roger Stirtz said. “It was not that we lost focus, or that we did some abnormal things. It was just a few things here and a few things on their part that narrowed the lead. We played a great third quarter except for the last minute, minute and a half where we lost some momentum. We didn’t do some little things correctly, and that caught up to us.”

Liberty actually got a great defensive stop to force the overtime, but in the extra frame the Blue Jays could not capitalize on the momentum.

“It just came down to one possession, and we made too many mistakes to win a one-possession game,” Stirtz said.

Junior Denton Koon led the Blue Jays with a game-high 18 points. Senior Bryan Adams also scored in double figures with 12 points.

Park Hill South went on to win the district title over Oak Park — who upset No. 2-seeded Park Hill in the semifinals — in a crazy tournament.

“With the district being held at St. Joe Central, teams one through six could have won it,” Stirtz said. “Even though Central was a six-seed, they were playing on their home court. That is a difficult place to play. It was wide-open.”

With the No. 4-seed emerging as the winner, Stirtz thought it spoke to the depth of the district.

“I think it is underrated,” Stirtz said. “A lot of these teams didn’t get the notoriety during the season, but when it comes down to it is all about timing. If you can play your best basketball at the right time good things happen. We did it last year. We just couldn’t do it this year.”

Sports writer Bill Knust can be reached at 389-6605 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .