Kendall nips rival Holley in sea-saw contest

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 30 December 2016 at 9:58 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Kendall’s Brandon Miller battles for a rebound with Holley’s Dalton Major during the Eagles tournament win over the host Hawks this evening.

Surviving a tight sea-saw fourth quarter battle, Kendall emerged with a narrow 62-59 victory over the host rival Hawks this evening in the consolation game of the Holley Tournament.

The lead changed hands no less than six times in the wild fourth quarter as Kendall finally regained the lead for good at 58-57 on a jumper by Mickey Gardner. Brandon Miller followed up with a layup giving the Eagles a 60-57 lead with 3:10 remaining.

Each team could then manage only one more field goal over the final three minutes. A jumper by Patrick Bower pulled Holley back to within one at 60-59 with 57 seconds remaining but Collin Lewis answered right back with a layup at the 48 second mark giving the Eagles a 62-59 lead and the narrow win.

Kendall’s Mickey Gardner puts up a shot over Holley defender Isaiah Flow.

Miller had 6 and Lewis 4 in the final stanza while Dylan Hillabush erupted for 10 to keep Holley in the thick of the contest.

Miller, who was named to the All-Tournament team, finished with a game high 24 points while Lewis had 17, Nate Waters 10, Gardner and James Longrod 4 and John Rath 3.

Hillabush, who was also selected to the All-Tournament team, led Holley with 23 as Bower added 13, Isaiah Flow 9, Derek McArthur 8, Andrew Moseman 5 and Ryan Andrews 1.

Kendall jumped out to an early 7 point lead at 16-9 as Lewis hit two threes and Warters one.

Holley though closed the gap to 16-14 at the end of the period after a three by Moseman and a layup by Hillabush.

Keeping the momentum, the Hawks then opened the second period with a 15-3 run to rally into a 29-19 lead. Bower had a three and a layup, Hillabush a jumper and a layup, Flow a rebound bucket and a layup off a steal and McArthur a layup off a steal to key that Hawks uprising.

A late five point scoring burst by Miller though helped keep Kendall within 7, 33-26, at the half.

The Eagles then put together a big 22-14 third period scoring surge to rally into a 48-47 lead at the three-quarter mark. Miller poured in 10 points to lead that surge which also included a pair of baskets by Warters along with threes by Rath and Lewis.

Three quick buckets by Hillabush at the outset of the final period put Holley back on top at 53-52 and the sea-saw battle was on.

Miller, Gardner and Lewis then traded tallies with Hillabush and Bower down the stretch to help Kendall claim the narrow win.