Boys Basketball: Shooters come through, Rosecrans rallies past FCA, 47-44
ZANESVILLE — Down five points with three minutes to play in a slugfest with visiting Fairfield Christian, Rosecrans needed a jolt in the worst of ways.
It found one just in time — two actually.
Faced with a 39-34 deficit, longtime Rosecrans taskmaster Todd Rock called timeout to regroup. It worked masterfully, as Grady Labishak hit a 3-pointer to trigger a 10-2 run that sent the Bishops ahead to stay in a 47-44 Mid-State League-Cardinal Division win on Thursday night at Rogge Gymnasium.
Rosecrans (8-7, 5-5 MSL-Cardinal) held on despite shooting just 34 percent from the field, including a paltry 7-of-28 on 3s. It hit only 5 of 23 through three quarters before heating up late.
Tommy Bernath hit both ends of a 1-and-1 with 25 seconds left and the Knights came up empty on an open 3 just before time expired, setting off a jubilant celebration.
"That was a big win for us," Rock said. "They got us over there the first time. You have to give credit to Tommy Bernath for coming up and knocking down those two free throws."
Labishak, the team's second-leading scorer, posted a game-high 19 points and assisted on six other baskets. None of his points were bigger than the five he tallied on consecutive possessions late in the fourth, however.
He drained a 3 from the right wing just a few seconds out of the timeout to cut the lead to two. He then stole the ball and raced up the floor for a transition layup that tied the game.
Two possessions later, his partner in crime did his part.
It was tied when 6-4, 270-pound John Grabbans scored off an inbounds pass to give Fairfield Christian (6-10, 4-6) a 41-39 lead with 2:15 to go. That's when top scorer Weston Hartman, who struggled to find his outside shot throughout, picked the perfect time to strike, converting a four-point play just nine seconds later.
It was a long frustrating night for Hartman, but he shook off his frustrations just in time. He said it felt good off his hands.
The Bishops never lost the lead, but steering it to the finish line did have its frightful moments.
Labishak followed an empty Knights possession with a layup out of a timeout, pushing the Rosecrans lead to 45-41 inside the final minute. But Grabbans showed deft outside touch the next time down, connecting on an uncontested 3 that trimmed the lead to a point with 25 seconds left.
Then Bernath came up big at the line.
"He's a senior and that's what you want — you want your seniors at the line," Rock said. "There is no kid I trust more than that kid. I'm talking about in life. Those are the kids that win a game for you. Other kids will win a game for you now and then, but the kids that aren't good kids always falter when the pressure is on. Believe me, I've had some over the years."
Hartman, like his coach, had ample faith in Bernath's ability to come through.
"I could see it in his eyes," Hartman said.
Fairfield Christian coach Roger Hooper saw his team commit only seven turnovers and hold a 30-28 edge on the glass, but it was only 3-of-12 on 3-pointers and missed half of its 10 free throws.
Yet, it still made up a 31-26 deficit late in the third quarter with an 11-0 run that flipped the script and gave the team a golden chance to win down the stretch. Grabbans had seven of his 14 points in the second half and Jay Long had six of his 12, but it wasn't enough.
Three of the Knights' four second-half turnovers came in a four-possession stretch in the final frame. Two came after it built a five-point lead, but the biggest came when Grabbans was called for traveling along the baseline while converting a layup and drawing a foul.
One official called a foul; the other called a travel. The latter won out.
"It was a big call, but you can't do anything about it," Hooper said. "That's just the way it is."
Like Rosecrans, the Knights are a youthful bunch still learning to close out games. Most of the veteran Hooper's conglomerate are juniors and sophomores.
That didn't make Thursday's setback any easier.
"That's good for the future," Hooper said. "I've got two seniors but we have got a good group of young kids. Up five with three to go, but you've got to take care of the ball."
Ben Hopple added eight points and Matt Keener six for the Knights, who led 22-21 at the half thanks to seven points from Grabbans and six each from Hopple and Long. Grabbans also pulled down eight rebounds and Hopple seven rebounds.
Xander Daniels had nine rebounds and also converted a timely three-point play in the fourth quarter for Rosecrans, which sank 12 of 13 at the line and had nine turnovers.
FCA was 18-of-42 from the field (43 percent).
The Knights took the reserve game, 44-18. Leaders were not available.
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This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Shooters come through as Rosecrans rallies past FCA, 47-44
