An open Franklin County basketball player under the rim who made an easy layup ended the Stephens County Indians basketball season in the first round of the Region 8-AAA tournament last week.
The Indian season came Tuesday, Feb. 16 when the Tribe was delt a heartbreaking 54-53 overtime loss by the Lions in a game played in Watkinsville.
“One lucky bounce to be honest with you,” Indian coach Jeremy Hughes said of the difference in the game.
“I thought it was a good game from both teams. That’s sports. That’s the game – sometimes it falls your way and sometimes it don’t,” he said.
The game was close throughout, but it was SCHS that held the momentum for most of thecontest.
SCHS had the lead at the end of the first with a 11-9 margin.
The Indians also led at halftime 24-18 and at the end of three quarters, 37-28.
In the final quarter, the momentum started to change. Franklin County started the fourth period with a 10-0 run to surge ahead.
Keylan Rutledge scored the first five points for FCHS. After that, David Witcher scored on a three-pointer.
Jontavion Hughes capped off the run with a two-pointer that moved the Lions in front, 38-37, with 3:15 left.
Later in the fourth, the game was tied 42-42 with 1:46 left.
Rutledge of FCHS scored on a pair of free throws to give his team the lead.
Moments later, senior Indian Kenny Colwell hit a big time three-pointer from long range to give his team the lead, 45-44, with 49.5 seconds left.
On the next possession, Franklin County was fouled and Rutledge went to the line and made his first attempt at the line tying the ball game at 45 apiece. He missed the second.
Moments later FCHS had possession of the ball. Tyrece Mackie of SCHS went for the steal but was called for a foul which sent Keez Roebuck of FCHS at the line. Roebuck made good on both of his attempts to give the Lions a 47-45 lead with 18.2 seconds left.
SCHS took the next possession looking to tie the game or take the lead.
After the ball went out of bounds, Mackie of SCHS was called on to make the inbounds pass.
He spied 6-5, 240-pound teammate D.J. Hampton under the rim and fed a pass to him.
Hampton delivered and scored the game-tying bucket under the rim tying the game at 47-47.
Neither team could score in the remaining few seconds and the game went into overtime.
In the extra period, Franklin’s Brayden Strickland hit a three-pointer to put his team in front, but the Indians answered with a 4-0 run utilizing a pair of buckets from close range to go ahead 51-50.
Hughes scored a two-point bucket for the Lioans as Franklin moved back in front, 52-51.
Colwell came up with another clutch shot for SCHS when he knocked down a jumper for two giving his team the lead, 53-52, with 35 seconds remaining.
On the next possession, Franklin was looking for a last second bucket. During that possession, a loose ball occurred.
The ball was headed to the left corner of the three-point line. During the scramble, a FCHS player picked up the ball and found Strickland under the rim who scored the easy layup as time expired stunning the Tribe with a 54-53 loss.
Through the heartbreaking loss Hughes saw how hard his team fought and clawed all the way until the end.
“If there is one thing I know from this team is that they are going to fight for sure,” Hughes said.
“I said it all year. Sometimes we play better when we are down. D.J. Hampton had a big bucket at the end. The last week, especially, we have been playing really good basketball and that is when you see stuff like that,” Hughes said.
“We put a lot of faith in our guys. Obviously they have to go out there and just execute. It doesn’t matter what we do, how we draw it up. They are the ones out there to execute it.,” Hughes said.
“I thought they did that. That’s part of the game. It’s going to hurt for a while,” Hughes said.
The Tribe ended the season with a 10-12 overall record, and 4-6 in region play.
Colwell was the leading scorer for SCHS in the tournament loss to Franklin with 19 points. Corey Richie had 11 points.