By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — With 3:05 remaining in the first quarter of Wednesday’s non-league matchup, Jamal Fennell hobbled to the bench. The senior forward had landed awkwardly after hitting a runner in the lane.
He returned before the end of the half, but the first time he put weight on the ankle the 6-foot-3 forward came up limping.
A return to the pine seemed likely. Then a switch flipped, and so did the fortunes of the Bishop Kearney Kings.
“I was trying to not show the pain,” Fennell said. “I knew what I needed to do.”
Fennell netted 11 of his season-high 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as Bishop Kearney rallied to defeat the Rush-Henrietta Royal Comets, 71-69.
“He’s just a very tough kid,” Kearney coach Kevin Goode, Sr. said. “I’ve asked a lot of him. He stepped up and showed he’s one of the leaders of the team.”
Jamal Fennell inside for 2 of his season-high 22. pic.twitter.com/CorhYGNlLI
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 25, 2018
Trailing by as many as eight points late in the fourth, Fennell sparked the BK rally. He converted a pair of free throws before taking a Kevin Goode, Jr. feed down low and finishing in traffic. When Shykell Brown drove the paint, he stepped out to the perimeter and drilled a corner 3.
“My team noticed the mismatch I had,” Fennell said. “We scouted them earlier in the season and noticed that they really don’t focus in the paint defensive-wise. I knew this was going to be a big game.”
Brown sent the game into overtime with an end-to-end rush and layup just before the final horn.
Shykell Brown goes end to end to send us to overtime. @rh_hoops 62 Bishop Kearney 62 pic.twitter.com/hkpX7ySREu
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 25, 2018
Michael Gentile provided the go-ahead basket in the extra period. The sophomore guard, who netted a career-high 18 points in Kearney’s 69-57 victory over Green Tech (II) this past weekend, connected from the free throw line area on his only basket of the night with less than two minutes remaining.
“Everything was pass and screen,” Gentile explained. “I came off the screen and I hit it. Obviously it’s just one play, but as long as we got the win, I’m fine.”
With the game tied at 44 early in the fourth quarter, Shamire Broyld highlighted an 8-0 Rush-Henrietta run. The 6-foot-5 junior converted one of two from the free throw line. Next trip down the floor, he saved a ball going out of bounds, and teammate Mecca McCullough finished in the lane for two of his 13 points on the night. Kailee White completed a traditional 3-point play, and Broyld capped the run with a thunderous two-handed flush in the open floor.
R-H looked on the way to a third win in its last four games.
Kearney switched to man-to-man defense late in the contest.
“I knew we could play man-to-man but we were trying to sit into a zone as long as possible hoping that they wouldn’t continue to hit as many threes as they did in the first quarter,” Goode, Sr. said.
The Kings also dictated pace on offense.
“I like getting up and down the court to run a fast-pace game,” Goode said. “In Albany (this past weekend) we were able to control the pace of the game and get good shots after making the defense work and making shots late in the shot clock. I want to continue that same type of style. If we can run, we’ll run with the numbers. If not, we’re going to make them play defense. I think we did a good job with that.”
Jamal Fennell steps out for 2. pic.twitter.com/tZ3Mh0eDDg
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 25, 2018
Brown scored 16 for Kearney. Kevin Goode, Jr. and AJ Gray added 12 apiece. Jordan Love scored five.
The win was the second straight for the Kings and third out of their last four games. After dropping their first two of the season and opening with a record of 2-6, the Kings pulled one game within .500 at 6-7.
“In December you don’t want to be playing your best basketball,” Goode said. “January going into February right before sectionals start, that’s when you want to be playing your best basketball.”
JeVonte Williams hit two 3-pointers to help R-H grab a 20-16 lead after the first quarter. The sophomore finished with 12 on the night. Broiled led the Royal Comets with 20. White had 17. Matt Zarzycki (4), Tim Jackson (2) and Don Swain (1) rounded out the scoring for Rush-Henrietta (9-4).
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