|
More drama for KC
Buzzer-beating 3 secures win for Gremlins
By Mike Kilroy
Eagle Staff Writer
KARNS CITY — Call them Kardiac City.
The fourth quarter has been very kind to the Kardiac, er, Karns City boys basketball team lately.
It was so again in a thrilling 50-47 home win over Keystone that was capped by a 25-foot, one-handed 3-point shot at the buzzer by Mike McConnell that swished through the net and sent the KC fans into a frenzy.
"The last four games, it has been amazing," said Karns City coach Steve Andreassi, who watched his team outscore the Panthers 20-8 in the final quarter to erase a double-digit deficit.
In the last four contests, the Gremlins have outscored their opponents 66-22 in the fourth period.
"It's a tribute to these guys because they have the mentality of 'We're not dead. We're not done,'" Andreassi added.
Karns City had more forks stuck in it than a Christmas turkey Thursday.
Until McConnell's final desperation heave, the Gremlins had not led the game since early in the second quarter, and that lead was only one point.
Keystone led by as many as 15 points midway through the third quarter when Andreassi called a timeout and gave his team an impassioned speech.
At first it appeared his plea had fallen on deaf ears.
But Cameron Turner hit a big 3-pointer down the stretch and hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 47.
The Panthers turned the ball over with 3.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, which left plenty of time for McConnell to take the inbound pass, dribble across half court and toss up his shot.
"We were going to get the ball into Mike (McConnell's) hands. We were expecting pressure, but they backed off," Andreassi said. "We were hoping to get Mike a little closer than where Matt was."
But Matt McConnell is used to long-range 3-pointers. His biggest of the season came in the biggest game.
Karns City (7-2 overall, 6-1 in the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference) is now alone atop the league standings.
"To go into (2008) with a 7-2 — I don't think anyone expected that," Andreassi said. "It's a tribute to them because that's who has done it."
Now Karns City gets four days to relish this latest win.
"We're going to get a rest now for four days," Andreassi said. "It's just something we needed. And it all worked out perfectly for us, going into it at 7-2. We'll come back and see what happens."
Back |
|
|
| |
|
