Hornets Sting Bombers In OT.

JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor

Cowden-Herrick kept getting leads and the Brownstown Bombers kept coming back. The Hornets led by ten points, only to see it evaporate and fall behind. They caught Brownstown down the stretch and defended to force overtime, 55-55. Two late steals by Colton Heiserman gave the Hornets the extra possessions they needed to seal a 3-point win in OT, 67-64.

The Hornets and the Bombers were pretty much an even match all night, with spurts by both teams that seemed to always find their level before the next spurt. The Hornets got the last spurt and won.

Cowden-Herrick three-d their way to a 12-11 lead after one. They extendedthat 1-point lead to five ponts at the break, as the Hornet two out scored Bomber threes, 25-20. The Hornets "kissed their sister" in the third, just tying Brownstown's effort and they took the 5-point lead into the fourth. The Bombers fell back by as much as ten points in th fourth, then erased it like it was never theree and took a lead. Cowden-Herrick tied the game and had a defense stop to force OT.

In OT it was tit for tat until the Hornets took a 4-point lead inside 2:00 to play. A foul and a technical on the Cowden-Herrick bench let Brownstown tie the game again. A bucket, 1-of-2 free throws late and two Hornets steals sealed the win.

Tyler Day, who led all scorers with 27 points, hit two of 3-point quartet in the first 8:00. jalen Hovis scored from the arc and Colton Heiserman was fouled on a 3-point attempt. He went to the line and made all three free throws. Brownstown got a 3-pointer from Michael Kramer, a down payment of his 3-point foursome. They also got two early scores from center Conor Riley, a two from Dillon Holloway and 1-of-2 trips to the line from Zach Rigdon and Jared Winters.

Day kept up the pressure on the Bomber defense in the second period, diving and getting to the line, making 1-of-2 shots, hit his second trey, then a two.Jesse Hager scored from the floor and made 1-of-2 foul shots. Zach Miller and Blake Faulkner also had solo twos. Brownstown made a bombing run with Kramer and Rigdon treys, but the Bombers could only add a deuce from Rigdon and 1-of-2 free throws from Winters as they fell behind by five at the half.

Brownstown quickly tied the game in the third. Kramer completed his trey hat trick and Riley made a put back, tying the game at 25-25. Brownstown then took the lead on a 3-point play inside from Riley. Hager then went right at Riley, who tried to block the shot. Hager got the two and the foul, but couldn't convert, 28-27. Heiserman stole the ball and was fouled and reclaimed the Hornet lead at the line, 29-28. Riley drove the baseline and scored as he continued to take it to the Hornets.

Hager took it right back to the Bombers. He scored for the 31-30 lead. Heiserman got the carom off a Bomber 3-attemptand brought it in transitio for two, 33-20. The Bombers returned the favor. Riley finished the transition, 33-32. A minute later, Winters scored inside. Winters stole the ball, but Hager stole it back and got it to Miller on a great interior pass, 35-34.

A controversial call on a Hornet over and back gave the Hornets the ball and Day broke free for a lay up, 37-34. Another Hrnets steal brought the ball back as the quarter was about to end. They missed, then missed the put back, Heiserman got another rebund and passed to Miller for two to beat the buzzer, 39-34.

The Hornets held on to the lead by beaing quicker to the ball or at least reaching out and tipping the ball fee and chasing it down.

Day opened the fourth with a stop and pop, 41-34. Then on an inbound under the basket with the lane clogged, Tanner Seaton got the ball on the baseline with no room. he went up and snaked his shot by the Bombers anyway. The ball caught the rim and spun back through capping a 10-0 Hornet run, 43-34. Bryce Mason answered with a trey. Blake Faulkner flashed to the lane got the ball and looked to pass to another Hornet, but instead hit the short jumper. The Hornets stripped the ball and Day executed a shake and bake just inside the arc and buried the two for a 10-point Hornet lead, 47-37 just inside 6:00 to play.

However, Brownstown scored on their next five possessions over a minute and a half and erased the lead. Holloway scored inside, Winters finished a fast break, Kramer stole the ball and dished to Mason for two. Rigdon drove and scooped a two. Kramer was then fouled on a put back and made both free throws at the 4;13 mark, 47-47.

The Hornets got the lead back with 1-of-2 free throws from Day, 48-47, but Kramer canned his fourth three and celebrated with verve, 50-48. Heiserman as fouled and made both ends of a 1-and-1 to knot the score again, 50-50. Kramer cut through the middle, was fouled and scored, giving Day his fourth foul with 3:00 left in regulation. Mason finished afast break and Bronstown was up four with 2:00 left, 54-50.

Inside a minute to go, Day tipped a ball away from brownstown and then dialed in from long distance to cut the deficit to one, 54-53. Holloway made 1-f-2 foul shots. With 25 seconds left, Day drove across the lane, stopped and popped, floating to his left and making the shot to tie the game 55-55.

Brownstown had plenty of time to score, but an errant pass gave Cowden-Herrick the ball with 14 seconds. The referee allowed Brownstown to set up the press, as Hornet coach Brett Boehm tried to call a time-out. The Hornets inbounded the ball and Day tried to squeeze past on the side line and stepped out. With 11 seconds left, Kramer dribbled out for a few seconds and then drove. He drove into a set Hornet and tried to get contact. They both fell down and no call was made at the buzzer.

Brownstown got the tip in OT. Rigdon was fouled and made both free throws. Jalen Hovis then got a quick step and flashed towards the hoop, elevated and made the finger roll, 57-57. Winters made 1-of-2 foul shots, the Heiserman dished inside to Miller, who used a spin move on the post and was wide open for the bunny, 59-58. Rigdon drove and scored, 60-59.

Brownstown tipped the ball loose, then Cowden-Herrick tipped it back. Day found himself with the ball and open on the wing. He drove to the hole, got the foul and converted the 3-point play for the lead, 62-60. After a Bomber turnover, Heiserman went to drive and th ball was knocked away. He grabbed it right back off balance, leaned away from the defender and banked it in for two, 64-60, with less than 2:00 left in OT.

Another Hornet lead evaporated, this time four points with no time coming off the clock. Winters got the ball inside and was flanked by Hornets Jesse Hager and Jalen Hovis. Winters was defended and missed the first shot. he got the ball back and Hovis went up for the block. A foul was called. However, the foul was called on Tyler Day, his fifth foul. The Hornets exploded!

Coach Boehm asked the refs to consult, they did and still got it wrong. Hager's number is 42 and Day's is 12. Coach Boehm invited the refs to look at the game film. They didn't. Having fouled out, Day was distraught. He removed his jersey as he went to the locker room unescorted, with a shout and slapping the wall. In the midst of the flap, the officials called a technical foul on the bench.

Winters went to the line and made his two free throws, 64-62. He then made the two technical fouls or the tie and Brownstown got the ball with 1:14 to play. Hovis' defense caused aBomber travel. Brownstown's pressure almost caused a 10 second call on the Hornets, but Coach Boehm called time-out in the nick of time.

After a Hornet miss in the lane, Hesierman got the put back for a 66-64 lead with 35 seconds left. Heiserman then jumped the passing lane in the Browstown half-court and stole the ball. He got it to Hovis and Brownstown had to foul. With 16 seconds left Hovis made 1-of-2 double-bonus free throws. Winters grabbed the miss and the Bombers needed a three. The Hornets matched up and made the Bombers pass too much. Heiserman stole the ball with :04 left and held the ball for the buzzer.

After the high from the OT win on Thursday, the Hornets have to travel to Teutopolis on Friday to face the NTC juggernaut.

Varsity

Cowden-Herrick 67, Brownstown 64

C-H 12-13-14-16-16--67

B'town 11-9-14-21-9--64

C-H stats: Tyler Day 27 (6-2s, 4-3 pt FGs, 3/7 FTs), Colton Heiserman 13 (3 FGs, 7/7 FTs), Zach Miller 8 (4 FGs), Jalen Jesse Hager 7 (3 FGs, 1/4 FTs), Hovis 6 (1-2, 1-3 pt FGs, 1/2 FTs), Blake Faulkner 4 (2 FGs), Tanner Seaton 2 (FG).Team FGs 25 (5-3 pt: Day 4, Hovis). Team FTs 12-of-20.

B'town stats: Michael Kramer 16 (4-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 2/3 FTs), Conor Riley 13 (6 FGs, 1/1 FTs), Zach Rigdon 12 (3-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 3/4 FTs), Jared Winters 11 (2-3 pt FGs, 7/12 FTs), Bryce Mason 7 (2-2s, 1-3 pt FGs), Dillon Holloway 5 (2 FGs, 1/4 FTs). Team FGs 22 (5-3 pt: Winters 2, Mason, Kramer, Rigdon). Team FTs 14-of-24.

JV

Cowden-Herrick 62, Brownstown 56

C-H 12-19-13-18—62

B'town 12-19-14-11—56

C-H stats: Hassan Hovis 12 (6 FGs, 0/2 FTs), Luke Moore 12 (2-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 5/8 FTs), Alex Turner 12 (4-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 1/4 FTs), Derrick Knearem 8 (2-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 1/2 FTs), Tyson Morgason 6 (3 FGs), Chance Buchanan 4 (2 FGs), Shane Mitchell 4 (2 FGs), Bryce Barnes 3 (FG, 1/2 FTs), Brandon Simms 1 (1/2 FTs). Team FGs 25 (3-3 pt: Turner, Moore, Knearem). Team FTs 9-of-22.

B'town stats: Colten Hunter 15 (1-2, 1-3 pt FG, 10/10 FTs), Bryce Mason 15 (3-2s, 3-3 pt FGs), Dalton Coleman-Scott 7 (2-2s, 1-3 pt FGs), A. Hunter 7 (3 FGs, 1/1 FTs), Matt Sefton 7 (2 FGs, 3/6 FTs), Zach Garrison 5 (1-2, 1-3 pt FGs). Team FGs 18 (6-3 pt: Mason 3, Garrison, Coleman-Scott). 14-of-17.

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