Boardman’s rally comes up short, 43-37

By Pete Mollica

The Spartans were within two points of Jackson in the final minute but got no closer.

BOARDMAN — When your team is 2-6 and struggling to win in a close contest against a good team, that team usually finds a way to lose.

Such was the case of the Boardman boys basketball team Friday night.

The Spartans (2-7, 0-3 Federal League, trailed Massillon Jackson (6-3, 2-1) by just two points with less than 50 seconds remaining.

But the Spartans committed a costly turnover, missed two free throws and watched Jackson hit four straight free throws down the stretch to drop a 43-37 contest.

Boardman trailed by nine at halftime and by 11 early in the third quarter.

The Spartans battled back to get to within two points 39-37 with 49.4 seconds remaining after a long 3-point shot by senior Ryan Pesta.

The Spartans forced a turnover on the next possession, but gave it right back on a turnover of their own. Junior J.T. Moore missed a couple of free throws with seven seconds remaining while Jackson’s Brad Dupont dropped in four straight free throws to put the game away.

“I was pleased with our effort tonight, we gave ourselves a chance to win the game,” Boardman coach Jim Goske said. “The difference was that a team that is 6-3 will find a way to win the game, while a team that is 2-6 finds way to lose.

“We came out and played well in the second half, especially the third quarter to get back in the game,” Goske said. “We still have to learn how to win these games.

The Spartans didn’t help themselves with a poor shooting night. They connected on just 11 of 42 shots on the night and committed 16 turnovers.

“I thought that Jackson’s pressure in the first half really caused us some problems and it really effected our shooting tonight,” Goske said. “When you are under a pressure situation you usually try and rush your shots and that’s what we were doing.

“We made some adjustments at halftime and came out and played much better the second half,” he said.

Moore led the Spartans with 12 points and was a force in the third and fourth quarters.

But the 6-3 standout had a costly turnover in the closing seconds and also missed the two free throws.

“He might of had a bad last 50 seconds, but he’s also the one responsible for getting us back in the game,” Goske said. “Without him tonight we wouldn’t have even been close and he gave us that chance to win.”

The Spartans made just 3-of-12 shots from the field in the opening quarter, but trailed the Polo Bears just 8-7, mainly because Jackson was also shooting 3-of-12 from the field.

Jackson picked up the pace in the second quarter and sparked by a pair of 3-point goals by Michael Shull, pulled to a 23-14 halftime advantage.

The Spartans trailed by 11 after Mark Henniger scored to open the third quarter. Boardman, behind Moore, who scored nine of his 12 points in the quarter cut the lead to 30-28 before Josh Egner scored just before the buzzer for a 32-28 lead.

The Spartans never led in the game and found themselves trailing 37-28 with about seven minutes left. The Spartans went on an 8-2 run capped off by Pesta’s long 3-pointer to get back to within two, 39-37.

But they never got closer as Dupont put the game away at the foul line.

mollica@vindy.com