Golden Knights come from behind to earn Rustin Winter Classic title

WESTTOWN >> The really good basketball teams do all the little things that add up to very big wins, and after West Chester Rustin’s 44-40 victory over a powerful Souderton squad Saturday afternoon, you can call the Golden Knights a real good boys’ basketball team.
West Chester Rustin fought back from behind all game long, and took two big charging calls in the game’s final 20 seconds, to secure the victory and capture the Rustin Winter Classic title.
The Golden Knights (6-2) outscored Souderton 15-9 in the final period and forced the Big Red into shooting just 2-for-12 from the field after being hot for the first three periods. Souderton (7-2) took an eight point halftime lead and led by six after three periods. West Chester Rustin outscored the Big Red 32-20 in the second half.
“We did not do anything differently defensively in the fourth period,” West Chester Rustin coach Keith Cochran said. “It was just the kids doing their jobs and switching on defense and talking to each other. And the two big charges that Pete Reinheimer took is something we tell the kids to do all the time.
“This was a real good win against a very good team. Souderton runs a lot of real nice sets. And Jacob Barksdale came in late in the game and did a real good job. He doesn’t listen to me all the time, but after he got in foul trouble, he came [back] in and did a real nice job. And while he was on the bench, James Chobany came in and gave us a lift.”
Barksdale, the Golden Knights’ big man, was saddled with three personal fouls since early in the second period, leaving the rebounding duties to Dan Wethey while he cooled his heels on the bench. Wethey totaled seven points to go along with five boards while Barksdale added eight points to go along with eight boards.
Barksdale came off the bench in the fourth period to play a very big role for the Golden Knights. When he scored off a nice pick-and-roll early in the final period it cut Souderton’s lead to 31-29 and one could feel the Golden Knights coming on.
When IV Petit, who led all scorers with 19 points, hit two free throws, the Golden Knights led 33-31 with 4:03 to play, their first lead of the game. The two teams went back-and-forth in the final period, and when Jerry Price hit a corner trey for the Big Red, it drew Souderton to within 39-37, with 2:05 to play.
The teams fought furiously for every loose ball and rebound, and after Petit hit two more free throws, it was a 42-38 Rustin lead with 45 seconds to play. Souderton came down and missed a shot but Brian Reimer got the rebound off a scrum and sailed down the lane to cut the Golden Knights lead to 42-40 with 37 seconds to play.
“It was very physical out there,” Wethey said. “It was great to battle a real good team under the boards. They played very good defense, and it was good to get that kind of competition today.”
West Chester Rustin then turned the ball over on an in bounds play and Price soared down the lane and scored but the officials ruled he charged Reinhemier and the Golden Knights got the ball back. But Petit was stripped from behind with 22 seconds to play, giving Souderton another chance to tie the game.
Souderton came down the lane but Price was called again for charging and the Golden Knights had possession with just 12 seconds to play. The Big Red immediately fouled Wethey, but the Golden Knights’ center hit both free throws for a 44-40 Golden Knight lead, and Rustin had an impressive come-from-behind win against a good 6A school.
“It was very frustrating sitting on the bench with the fouls,” Barksdale said. “But, James Chobany came in and did a great job and Pete took those two charges at the end. We have a lot of guys who know their roles and we all did them today.”

West Chester Rustin 44, Souderton 40
SOUDERTON (40): Hollick 0 1-2 1, Price 4 1-3 10, Chouviat 2 0-0 5, Natale 2 1-2 5, Townsen 1 0-0 2, Reimer 5 2-2 12, Murawski 1 3-8 5. Totals 15 8-17 40.
W.C. RUSTIN (44): Wethey 2 3-8 7, Pew 1 0-0 2, Reinheimer 2 0-0 4, Petit 4 9-10 19, Chobany 2 0-0 4, Barksdale 3 2-2 8. Totals 14 14-20 44.
Souderton 9 11 11 9 – 40
W.C. Rustin 3 9 17 15 – 44
3-point goals: Souderton – Price, Chouviat. W.C. Rustin – Petit 2.