Atholton boys basketball avenges last week's loss to Marriotts Ridge with 64-55 win
Feb. 4—Atholton and Marriotts Ridge played Jan. 27 in a nail-biter with the Mustangs edging out the Raiders 63-61 on their home floor. Friday night, the Raiders exacted their revenge.
Similar to the first meeting it was a tight game down the stretch. However, when Atholton needed baskets most it turned to its two leading scorers: team captains Amir Shaheed and Christian Jackson. Jackson scored half of his team-high 20 points in the fourth, while Shaheed knocked in nine of his 14 points. Both veterans' effectiveness and the Raiders' efficiency at the foul line (27-of-37), helped them close out the 64-55 win.
"Down the stretch, I feel like when I drive I can finish or look for my teammates," Jackson said. "My teammates are always in the right spots, I've just got to look for them. When I get to the line, I've just got to breathe and finish it. Earlier in the season I had some struggles from the free-throw line, but I knew I could do it. I put in the work, so I've just got to put the trust in my teammates and when I get on the line, trust my work and knock them down."
Neither side was able to build separation in the first half. The largest lead either team took was seven and Atholton (8-9, 8-5 Howard County) took a two-point lead at the break. Nothing changed in the third quarter as Atholton led by four entering the fourth.
The early stages of the final frame belonged to the Mustangs (4-12, 3-10). Aidan Elliott delivered a spark for the home team with five straight points — a second-chance opportunity off a contested rebound, then a wing 3-pointer in transition. Elliott's triple put the Mustangs on top, 45-44, with 6:18 remaining, their first lead since the opening quarter.
In a game filled with runs, it was Atholton's turn to respond with a 9-2 spurt, starting with a Peyton Inabinet 3-pointer. Inabinet's shot gave the Raiders a lead for good. Jackson and Shaheed also added pivotal buckets during the run, allowing Atholton to build a 53-47 advantage inside of four minutes remaining.
"We've just got to keep doing what we're doing," Albert said of his message before the run. "It's a game of runs, we've just got to make sure we continue to play and battle. We've got some injuries right now. Peyton Inabinet has been out about a week, but he stepped up defensively and hit a big three for us. That was another guy who stepped up outside of our usual guys. Camden Thibeault, Kyle Duffie Jr. and Juan Macatangay, those guys also really showed up in big moments."
Marriotts Ridge continued to claw back, cutting the deficit to four with less than two minutes remaining. Then it was Shaheed's time to step up and drill a big-time shot for the Raiders. Shaheed knocked down a deep triple with the shot clock winding down that extended Atholton's lead back to seven.
"I just got to stay calm in those moments and I trust my teammates to give me the ball and put me in a position to make a play," Shaheed said.
Anish Murari knocked down a triple, bringing the Mustangs back within four in the final minute. On the ensuing possession, the Raiders missed their initial shot but grabbed a clutch offensive rebound to kill more time off the clock. Then, Jackson, Shaheed and Thibeault each converted a pair of free throws, putting the finishing touches on a much-needed win for the Raiders, halting their three-game losing streak.
"Our problem has been the fourth quarter," Marriotts Ridge coach Seth Willingham said. "We've been trying to work on that in practice, simulating a lot of conditioning to limit errors. They made a lot of shots at the foul line and that's a huge difference. We turned the ball over, too many unforced turnovers. Some of that was from their defense, give credit to them for that."
