By DONOVAN MOFFAT
AVON, N.Y. — Tie game with two seconds on the clock and an inbound play from mid court, the Perry Yellow Jackets needed a bucket to win, and sophomore Michael John Grover delivered.
Perry wins on a last-second three from Michael John Grover @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/Hlf8S1g9kQ
— Donnie Moffat (@donniemoffat) January 16, 2019
“What can you say about Michael John Grover hitting a beautiful shot at the end,” Perry head coach Brian Ellsworth stated after the game. “He’s a guy that we will lean on down the stretch because he’s a guy offensively and he’s a guy we need defensively and he is one of our leaders no question.”
With the game tied at 60-60 in overtime, the Yellow Jackets needed a clean inbounds play and a quick shot. Junior Garrett McClurg gave the inbounds pass to Grover who took one dribble to his right and pulled up from 25 feet, just in front of his team’s bench, and buried the game winner.
The Perry bench and fans erupted as the shot fell through the twine while Avon watched in disbelief.
Grover scored a game-high 23 points and connected on five three-pointers on the night including two triples in overtime.
“It’s a great win for the boys and we got great minutes from our bench and that was probably the best team we will play all year,” said Ellsworth.
Down three at 60-57, Perry’s largest deficit since the first quarter, Yellow Jacket freshman Mitchel Hockey hit a corner three to tie the game with :32 seconds left in overtime.
Mitchel Hockey hits a corner three to tie the game at 60. 19.6 seconds to go and Avon has the ball. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/mXtISbcis1
— Donnie Moffat (@donniemoffat) January 16, 2019
With 19.6 seconds on the clock, Avon came out of its timeout looking to win the game.
Avon junior Tyler Dailey drove to the lane and took a shot from the elbow that landed just short of the mark and Perry came down with the rebound and managed to make it to mid court before Ellsworth called a timeout to set up the final shot.
“Basketball is a game of runs. They got theirs and now it’s time for ours,” Ellsworth said to his team in the closing minutes of the game. “Don’t worry about it, it’s next play and it’s a phrase we’ve lived by all season, and the boys stepped up.”
Down 17 points late in the third quarter, Avon managed to cut the Perry lead to 13 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Led by seniors Connor Taylor and juniors Nick Rowland and Dailey, the Braves went on a 22-9 run to send the game into overtime. Dailey scored 11, Rowland scored six and Taylor added five during the run.
The Braves used a full-court press for much of the second half and forced multiple Yellow Jacket turnovers. Avon took advantage of the turnovers and capitalized with fast-break points and quick buckets.
Nick Rowland cuts the deficit with a mid range jumper @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/fQVS0CkZS8
— Donnie Moffat (@donniemoffat) January 16, 2019
Connor Taylor drives the length of the court and gets fouled. Makes 1-2 from the line. 54-54 with 7.1 seconds @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/vxyWTsgoU2
— Donnie Moffat (@donniemoffat) January 16, 2019
Taylor finished with seven points in the first half and ended with a team-high 16 points. The senior guard also grabbed 14 rebounds. Rowland added 15 points and 10 rebounds. Dailey had 14.
For the first three quarters, the Yellow Jackets were able to neutralize Avon’s top scorer and hold its offense to just 32 points.
Defensively, Perry forced Avon into tough shots and did not give the Braves many second chance opportunities to score.
Midway through the first quarter to the early minutes of the second quarter, Perry went on a 15-0 run to take a 10 point lead.
Perry’s Michael John Grover starts the second quarter with a corner three @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/4cV9S9kLLp
— Donnie Moffat (@donniemoffat) January 16, 2019
Perry hit six three-pointers as a team in the first half with four in the second quarter and managed to hold Avon to just 20 points in the first half.
Dezmond Wilson extends the lead for the Yellow Jackets. 31-20 Perry at the half. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/hahk8tp2FX
— Donnie Moffat (@donniemoffat) January 16, 2019
“We controlled the boards, we didn’t allow them to get second shots and when they missed it, it was ours and that’s the key to our success,” Ellsworth said as he praised his team on a strong defensive performance.
As a team, Perry hit 12 three-pointers on the night and shot 53 percent.
Mitchel Hockey hit three three-pointers on the night and finished with nine points that included the game-tying three in overtime. Junior Michael Hockey finished with 12 points. Junior Carson DeVinney added nine points.
Other scorers: Perry – Garrett McClurg (3), Cam Campbell (3), Dennis VanDuser (2), Dezmond Wilson (2).
Other scorers: Avon – Andrew Rowland (6), Keegan McCracken (6), Paddy Coyne (3).
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