WESTTOWN >> Basketball is a beautiful game when players and coaches give every last ounce of passion and energy on the court.
Saturday afternoon at West Chester Rustin, the host Golden Knights and Avon Grove went at each other with a fervor rarely seen on the hardwood.
The Golden Knights tied the game on a long three-pointer and successful foul shot by Logan Day at the end of regulation and then held on in the double overtime period to post a thrilling 82-80 win over the Red Devils.
Day entered the game with 16 seconds to go in the fourth period and Rustin (9-5 overall) down, 66-62. Avon Grove had stormed back from a 10-point deficit at the end of the third to hold a four-point lead.
But, Chase Hatton found Day in the right corner, who drained the three and was fouled. After a timeout, Day hit the free throw to make it 66-66.
“I knew the ball was going to find me when I went in the game,” Day said. ”When I got it, I knew I was going to make the shot. I got fouled on the shot and I was a little nervous waiting during the timeout, but we shoot free throws all the time and that is why you practice so hard because of moments like that.”
The teams went back and forth in the first half, but Rustin took a 55-45 lead after three and seemed other way to a comfortable win. but the Red Devils (7-6) outscored the Golden Knights, 21-11 in the fourth. Josh Cox and Brock Bernstein led the comeback with 28 and 18 points respectively.
The first overtime saw the teams trade baskets and remain deadlocked at 72-72.
Rustin came right out to start the second OT with Ben Malley hitting a jumper. Malley had a big game, leading the Golden Knights with 22 points. Hatton chipped in 18 before fouling out late in the second overtime. Chas Davis registered 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds.
Avon Grove followed with a Bernstein three for a 75-74. The teams traded misses before Malley went hard to the basket for the hoop and a 76-75 lead with 2:04 to play.
But, here came the Red Devils again. Tashaan McClain scored in the lane with 1:31 to play in the extra session. Hatton’s bucket made it 78-77 Rustin with 1:20 to play.
“It was real intense under the boards today,” Davis said. “I was battling number 14 (Jackson Mills) all day and we both got rebounds, but I think I got more of them. We went into overtime with momentum because of Logan’s shot.
They came back from 10 down in the fourth period by hitting some threes, but Logan’s shot gave us all the momentum. We had a lot of energy and we said ‘let’s go win this.’”
The Red Devils missed the next time down the floor and Malley was fouled. One made free throw gave Rustin atwo-point lead with 46 seconds left.
Bernstein tried a three-pointer, but it clanged off the rim and Davis came down with the rebound and got fouled. He hit on one of two from the charity stripe for a 80-77 lead with 32 seconds to play.
AG could not hit the big shot late, but McClain got fouled with nine seconds to go. He hit both free throws and Rustin’s lead was down to 81-80. The Golden Knights brought the ball up the floor and Day was sent to the line where he made one and a 82-80 advantage with seven seconds left.
Avon Grove tried to get the ball up the floor for a tying or wining basket, but Davis’ big reach altered Bernstein’s shot and the Golden Knights had triumphed in the nonleague contest.
“Logan’s shot was very big for us,” Rustin coach Vince Mostardi said. “It tied the game and gave us a big lift going into OT. We came out in the first overtime with momentum because of it. After we were tied at the end of overtime. Ryan Jaross came into the huddle and said for us to go get this win. I thought the kids’ attitude and the way they faced adversity was great.
“We have two words on our white board and they are attitude and adversity. We have had some adversity the last week or so and they rebounded from being passed in the fourth period to come back and show a lot of energy in overtime and beat a very, very good Avon Grove team.”
WC Rustin 82, Avon Grove 80, 2OT
AVON GROVE: Strong 3 0-0 7, Cox 8 9-10 28, McClain 5 3-4 15, Bernstein 7 2-2 18, Mills 4 1-3 9, Gillin 1 0-0 3, Salmon 0 0-0 0, Binstead 0 0-0 0. Totals 28 15-19-80.
WC RUSTIN: Malley 9 1-3 22, Petty 1 0-2 3, Lyons 0 0-0 0, Jaross 5 0-2 11, Iacone 0 0-0 0, Bargo 1 0-0 3, Davis 7 3-5 17, Day 1 2-3 5, Hatton 7 3-6 18. Totals 32 10-23-82.
Avon Grove 20 13 12 21 6 8 – 80
WC Rustin 14 24 17 11 6 10 – 82
3-point goals: Strong, Cox 3, Bernstein 2, Gillin, Malley 3, Petty, Jaross, Bargo, Day, Hatton.
