DIVISION IV BOYS DISTRICT Red-hot Giesy paces Bristol past Windham

The senior scored the Panthers' final 14 points in the 76-71 victory in the title game.
By DOUG CHAPIN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MIDDLEFIELD -- Craig Giesy scored Bristol High's last 14 points as the Panthers rallied from a nine-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat Windham, 76-71, Friday night for the Division IV district title at Cardinal High School.
Giesy, a 6-2 junior who was one of three all-district first team players in the game, scored 12 of his final 14 points from the foul line. Giesy shot 15-for-17 from the line for the game to finish with 37 points.
Bristol was 31-for 38. Windham had a 28-18 edge in field goals.
"I think Craig hitting all those free throws late in the game put pressure on Windham," Bristol coach Scott Groves said. "When we needed him, he was cold as ice. Craig played like a senior tonight."
Windham led 63-54 with 6:17 to play in the game after Anthony Morris made an off-balance shot in the key. Morris led the Bombers with 18 points and Cedric Turner, another first-teamer, added 13. Sophomore post player Greg McDivitt had 11 points.
Bristol senior guard John King, the Northeast Inland District player of the year, added 12 points.
The Panthers worked their way back from their deficit to get within three, 69-66, with less than three minutes to play. With 2:19 to play, Giesy and Turner were involved in the game's biggest play.
Biggest play: Giesy stepped in front of a Windham pass and took off with Turner in pursuit. They arrived at the basket about the same time, but Turner conceded the layup. As Giesy went up and released his shot, Turner moved under him and was whistled for the contact.
It was ruled that the foul came after the shot, so Giesy got credit for the basket and then made two free throws since Windham was in the double bonus situation. The unusual four-point play put Bristol ahead 70-69, a lead the Panthers never lost.
"We told the kids during timeouts when we were behind to just relax, not worry about the score or bad calls and just play our game," Groves said. "I couldn't be more pleased with the kids. They played their hearts out."
In the final two minutes, Giesy was 6-for-6 from the line, while Windham missed the front end of two one-and-one situations.
"Windham is the best team we've faced," Groves said. "We expected a war."
Bristol will play Sebring at 8 p.m. in Tuesday's regional semifinal at the Canton Fieldhouse.
Bristol has been to the Regional level only one other time, in 1993-94 when the Panthers advanced to the state semifinals.
"We'll celebrate this win tonight, but we'll be back practicing Saturday morning," Groves said. "This team's goal is to reach state, so we'll start preparing Saturday."