Free throws help Saukees hand Tornadoes first loss of season
GRIGGSVILLE, Ill. — The battle for Pike County supremacy came down to free throws.
The Pittsfield boys basketball team made 5 of 6 free throws in the final 53 seconds of regulation Tuesday night to hold off Griggsville-Perry for a 46-44 victory, handing the Tornadoes their first loss of the season while alloowing the Saukees to bounce back from their first loss.
Eli Mendenhall split a pair of free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining to give the Saukees a two-point advantage, and the Tornadoes’ Lane Lipcaman missed a three-quarter court shot at the buzzer.
But it had been an entertaining minute leading up to that point.
The Saukees (8-1) led 41-39 with 1:09 remaining when sophomore guard Hayden Gratton missed a runner after breaking the press. Mendenhall grabbed the offensive rebound, was fouled and made both free throws for a four-point advantage.
Lipcaman scored on a spin move in the lane to make it 43-41 with 37.2 seconds left. After Gratton was called for traveling, Lipcaman drew a foul with 14.7 seconds left and made the first of two free throws. He missed the second, allowing the Saukees to maintain a one-point edge.
Two free throws by Pittsfield sophomore Taylor Graham extended the lead to 45-42 with 13 seconds left, and six seconds later, Lipcaman made a pair of free throws to make it a one-point game again. On the ensuing inbounds play, Mendenhall was tied up and a jump ball was called with 3.3 seconds left.
The possession arrow favored Pittsfield, and the Saukees cleanly got the ball to Mendenhall on the ensuing inbounds play. He missed the first free throw, made the second and saw Lipcaman’s heave miss the mark.
Gratton led the Saukees with 18 points, while Javan Petty added 11 and Mendenhall finished with seven points and 11 rebounds. Lane Lipcaman led the Tornadoes with 16 points, while Wyatt Lipcaman added 13 points and Michael Myers had eight.
Griggsville-Perry (7-1) went 2 of 16 from 3-point range, while Pittsfield committed 19 turnovers.
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