Tigers edge past Mustangs with late surge

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Akron’s Derren Brooks puts up a shot over Medina defender Avion Johnson during the Tigers win over the host Mustangs this evening.

In a tight sea-saw battle, Akron scored the game’s final 8 points to earn a 64-58 win over host Medina in a Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball contest this evening.

Trailing 58-56, Akron rallied to claim the win as Derren Brooks had two baskets and a free throw and Blake Gerstung followed up with a victory clinching three.

Blake Gerstung finished with a game high 20, Brooks 18 and Ben Gerstung 17 to lead the Tigers which outscored the Mustangs 17-9 in the decisive final period. Ace Abrams added 5 and Brodie Hill and Jackson Pragle 2 each for the Tigers. Blake Gerstung had a total of 4 threes and Ben Gerstung 3.

Preston Woodworth led Medina with 15 as Carlos Doval added 9, Christian Moss 8, Jerrell Nealy 7, Avion Johnson and Kendrick Russaw 6 each, Kolton Fletcher 5 and Jayzon Wills 2.

Akron grabbed a slender 20-19 lead at the end of the first quarter which saw 2 ties and 4 lead changes. In all the contest had a total of 9 ties and 9 lead changes.

Blake Gerstung and Ben Gerstung both scored 7 in the opening stanza as they each had a three.

All five of Medina’s baskets in the period were threes including two by Woodworth and one each by Moss, Fletcher and Johnson.

The Tigers maintained a five point, 37-32, lead at the half as Blake Gerstung scored 10 in the second period, including a pair of threes, and Ben Gerstung 7, also including a three.

The Mustangs though answered with a 17-10 third period scoring edge to rally into a 49-47 lead. Doval spearheaded that rally with 8 points including a three.

That set the stage for a back-and-forth fourth quarter which saw three ties and as many lead changes.

Medina went up by five, 52-47, at the outset on a three by Woodworth.

Akron answered with a 7-0 run on baskets by Brooks and Hill and a three by Ben Gerstung to regain a 54-52 lead.

The Mustangs answered right back with a 6-3 run to regain the lead for what proved to be the last time at 58-56 on baskets by Wills, Russaw and Woodworth.

However, the last rally 8-0 and the win belonged to the Tigers led by Brooks who scored 5 during that run and 9 of his 18 in the final stanza.

The tense fourth quarter was marred by a fight in the stands which spilled out onto one corner of the court and held up play for about 10 minutes.

Akron improves to 9-2 in N-O action while Medina slips to 6-5.

The Tigers will host front-running Wilson and the Mustangs will visit Newfane at 6:30 p.m. Friday to close out the N-O campaign.

Akron’s Ben Gerstung tries to block a shot by Medina’s Jerrel Nealy.