“We haven’t given up,” Rudder coach Mike Carrabine said. “We can win out, and some things could happen. We have Magnolia next, but the other tough teams we are done with, so I feel like it’s possible. Going forward it’s pretty much one and done.”
Rudder improved to 9-22 overall and 3-8 in District 19-5A with three games remaining. College Station dropped to 13-18 overall and 2-9 in district.
The game was tight throughout with the biggest lead by either team being the final score, which ended when Jeremiah Johnson stole an inbound pass and went the distance to score just before the buzzer.
College Station’s Jaden Hall opened the scoring in the four-minute overtime with a 3-pointer. But the Cougars missed their final three shots and had three turnovers the rest of the way, while the Rangers were efficient, scoring in the paint twice to take the lead then making enough free throws to keep the Cougars at bay and gain a split among the two teams. College Station won 39-37 at Rudder in the first half of district play.
Grayson Adams scored then Keithron Lee made a basket on an inbound pass from Carlos Moreno to put the Rangers up 46-45 in overtime. Lee and Johnson each made two free throws, Johnson’s coming after rebounding a missed free throw. Moreno made one of two free throws to counter College Station’s only other point in the overtime, an Owen North free throw.
North hit a 3-pointer to tie the game with 10 seconds remaining in regulation. Lee had a chance to end it at the buzzer, but his contested shot in the lane fell short.
“Our little inbound play at the end I thought they fouled us,” Carrabine said. “I wanted the ball in [Lee’s] hands regardless of the missed free throws we’ve had. He is the most experienced, most savvy guy we have.”
In the final 2 minutes of regulation the teams combined for five 3-pointers and four lead changes. Tretzan Garcia twice gave College Station the lead with 3-pointers. Kentun King countered the first and Moreno the second with treys.
Overall the teams combined for 39 points in the final quarter, only six less than they scored in the opening three quarters. The seven 3-pointers in the fourth quarter with only two less th... Click here to read full article
ARTICLE SOURCE:
