(by Don Meador, Allen County Schools, January 15, 2020)
Too few shots and too many turnovers spelled trouble for the Allen County-Scottsville Patriots Tuesday, January 14, at Franklin-Simpson. The Wildcats took advantage and of the Patriot misfires and miscues to record a 47-41 win.
AC-S raced to a 4-1 lead following baskets from Patriot guards Jake Bow and Mason Shirley. However, Shirley’s score at the 4:14 mark of the first would be the last AC-S basket in the period. Meanwhile, Franklin-Simpson used a 12-0 to open a 13-4 lead.
Charlie Calvert’s hoop at the 5:40 mark of the second ended a six-minute scoring drought for the patriots. The Wildcats pushed the lead back to nine before Calvert and Jax Cooper scored to pull AC-S within five. After a pair of Cooper free throws, the Patriots were within three, 15-12, with 3:29 remaining in the first. By halftime, the Wildcats led 19-14.
The
scoring pace picked up as play resumed in the second half. The Wildcats opened the
third with an 8-3 run to grab a 27-17 lead just over three minutes into the
period. A bucket from Tyler Ford, a free throw by Cooper and a put back by
Calvert brought the Patriots to within five with three minutes left in the period.
Once again, Franklin-Simpson surge to an eight point lead only to see a Ford
three-point play bring AC-S to within five. However, a pair of Wildcats lay-ins
by Kyjuan Stutzman in the final 32 seconds gave Franklin-Simpson a 34-25 lead
with eight minutes to play.
Within the first two minutes of the fourth, Michael Smith scored on a power move, Shirley drilled a 3-pointer, and Stamper added his own 3-pointer. The run brought AC-S to within one, 34-33, with 6:06 left. However, Franklin-Simpson countered with a 3-pointr by Stutzman and an inside jumper from Logan Lacontric to reestablish a six point lead with 3:40 remaining. Shirley and Smith would sink free throws to trim the lead to four. However, the Patriots’ inability to make several defensive stops in the final minutes enabled the Wildcats to record the six-point win.
AC-S finished
the game 15-43 from the floor (34.9%) and 9-16 (56.3%) at the foul line.
Franklin-Simpson was 16-46 from the field (34.8%) and 12-14 (85.7%) at the
stripe. The Wildcats outrebounded the Patriots 32-31. AC-S finished with 19
turnovers that resulted in 19 points for the Wildcats.
Cooper
led AC-S with 10 points and nine rebounds. Calvert added eight points and
grabbed eight rebounds.
AC-S
(8-8, 1-2) travels to Westmoreland (3-15, 0-6) Friday night.