January 25, 2008

 

            The Knights headed down to Spartan Country on Friday night to take on a team that they had beaten by 20 earlier in the season. However, since Turpin, with a current record of 6-8, had started basketball late due to a successful football playoff run, it would remain how much the Spartans had improved.

 

It didn’t take long to find out as the Spartans jumped out to a quick 12-6 first quarter lead. The home team continued to have the advantage and took a 22-15 lead into half-time.  The Knights outscored Turpin in the third quarter, 10-6, and trailed by just three, 28-25, as the teams went to their respective benches. As the stands began to fill for the much anticipated Varsity Game, the fans were treated to an intense fourth quarter of JV action. Tyler Smyth’s trey with just over two minutes remaining gave the Knights a one point margin at 33-32. A Turpin free throw knotted the score just 10 seconds later. Spencer Berlekamp drained two free throws with just a minute to play to push the Knight advantage to two, but the Spartans answered with two free throws of their own to knot the score at 35 with just under a minute to play. Both teams had several changes to put points on the board in the final 53 seconds but could not capitalize and the game went to overtime.

 

Tyler Smyth scored a lay-up off the opening tip to put the Knights up by two. Smyth would later nail one of two chances from the free throw line followed by two more from Michael Olds. Brooks Gear drained a field goal and the Knights were up by 7. A late Turpin bucket was the only offense the Spartans could generate in the overtime period and the Knights came away with a hard fought, albeit ugly, win at 42-37.

 

Brooks Gear became the newest Knight to lead the team in scoring with 11. Tyler Smyth and Spencer Berlekamp both had 10. Phil Fox contributed 5 while Michael Olds was chipping in 4. Matt Rumelhart. rounded out the Knight scoring with 2. The Knights were 15 for 21 from the line for 71%, while the Spartans were 8 for 15 for 53%.

  

The victory brings the Knights overall season record to 13-4 and 7-1 in the FAVCC. With a Walnut Hills loss this evening, the Knights find themselves at the top of the FAVCC and in control of their own destiny as they seek their second straight FAVCC JV Crown. They will travel north on I-75 Tuesday evening to take on the Pirates of West Carrolton.  Tip off is at 6 PM.  Go Knights!

 

- Scooter Knight