Late surge powers Elba past Barker

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 4 December 2017 at 8:43 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Barker’s Zachary Richbart puts up a shot as Elba’s Ben Pflaumer tries for the block. The action took place during the host Raiders loss to the Lancers this evening.

Closing with a big 13-0 scoring burst, Elba rallied to defeat host Barker 54-44 this evening in a non league game.

Trailing 44-41, Elba regained the lead for good at 47-44 on a three-point play by Jon Boyce and a three by Colton Dillon. The Lancers then put a lock on the victory as Collin O’Halloran scored the last seven points on two layups and three free throws.

Elba’s Collin O’Halloran puts up a shot against the block attempt by Barker’s Nick Brandt.

O’Halloran and Boyce both finished with a game high 17 points and Dillon 13 as Owen Scouten chipped in with 4 and Ben Pflaumer 3.

Zachary Richbart scored 12 to lead Barker as Austin Sullivan added 9, Evan Ecker and Nick Brandt 6, Malik Smith and David Ober 4 and Preston Harris 3.

Barker jumped out to an 18-12 first period lead highlighted by threes by Ecker, Preston, Sullivan and Richbart.

Elba rallied into a 27-25 led late in the second quarter after a 7-0 run on a three by Dillon and layups by Boyce and O’Halloran.

However, Barker regained a slender 28-27 lead at the half on a three by Sullivan at the buzzer.

The Raiders maintained a narrow 40-38 lead at the end of a sea-saw (6 lead changes) third period as Sullivan again hit a late three.

Another three by Richbart kept Barker up 44-41 early in the decisive final period.

That lead though proved to be the last one for the Raiders as the Lancers answered with the deciding 13-0 run to close the game.

Now at 0-3, Barker next visits Holley at 7 p.m. Wednesday for another non league contest.