By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Four players finished in double figures as host Rush-Henrietta erased a nine-point first-half deficit and went on to beat Pittsford Sutherland, 70-59 in the championship game of the 2019 Jeff Weber Christmas Tournament.
Trailing 21-12 with less than four minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Royal Comets outscored Sutherland 10-2 to go into halftime down 23-22.
“We did a better of guarding their action,” Rush-Henrietta head coach Chris Reed said. “We started winning the 50-50 balls and then we got in a rhythm offensively which we weren’t in earlier in the half.”
Senior center Nyles Goodwin scored six of his 14 points during the pivotal stretch.
Jevonte Williams feeds Nyles Goodwin for 2. pic.twitter.com/ZCxIUEFjnl
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 28, 2019
“The key was we closed the half only going down one when we got outplayed most of the half,” Reed added. “That probably was the difference.”
The Royal Comets took their first lead of the game eight possessions into the third quarter when Jevonte Williams scored on a wing drive.
Jevonte Williams slices from the wing to give @RushAthletics its first lead of the game. Mason Giorgione follows with a 3. Royal Comets 34 Sutherland 30 pic.twitter.com/SSI5QscKZ8
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 29, 2019
R-H led 31-30 and did not trail again.
Williams scored 13 points. One night after finishing with 19 points, Tournament MVP Charles Bowden III also had 13 points.
Charles Bowden gets the steal and layup, but @RushAthletics trails Pittsford Sutherland 12-8 after 1 quarter of play. pic.twitter.com/1aZcL7KXcK
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 28, 2019
“It was our energy coming into the second half,” Bowden said of the difference in the game. “Keeping our energy and everybody being consistent was a big reason.”
Bowden’s 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter gave R-H a 46-39 advantage.
Chris Sleeper added 11 points while Eddie Beverly had eight and Mason Giorgione seven.
“They’re my brothers,” Bowden said of his teammates. “We’ve been playing together since we were younger. There’s always been a chemistry between all of us.”
Sutherland’s Jalyn Moorehead topped all scorers with 23 points. The junior guard’s and-one gave the Knights a 15-8 advantage early in the second quarter. He converted a pair of free throws for Sutherland’s high-water mark of 21-12.
Jalyn Moorehead connects on the step back 3, but Sutherland trails @RushAthletics 43-37 after 3 quarters. pic.twitter.com/rkzKGUXTXY
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 29, 2019
The win was the fourth in the last five games for R-H (4-2).
“I’m on those guys a lot,” Reed said of his players. “But when we needed it most, they came up big. Charles Bowden had an excellent tournament. Chris Sleeper was tremendous. It was a good effort against a very good team.”
Chris Sleeper beats the halftime buzzer with the rebound and putback, but @RushAthletics trails Pittsford Sutherland 23-22. pic.twitter.com/MQ50Hx7CO2
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 28, 2019
Ben DiGiovanni added 13 points for Sutherland (4-2). Jakob Priesser had 10. Owen Flisnik (6), Drew Kull (3), Will Klerk (2) and Garrett Glanton (2) rounded out the scoring for the Knights.
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