CLOVER – The Fort Mill basketball program got a much needed sweep Friday night at Clover.
Both the Fort Mill girls’ and boys’ teams won by one point as the Lady Jackets won 46-45 and the boys got a 56-55 win.
Needing to bounce back, Fort Mill took the bus ride east to battle longtime nemesis Clover. After starting the season 14-2, the Lady Jackets had lost three games in a row to start Region 3-5A play. To make matters worse, Fort Mill was trying to pick up its first region victory in a building they hadn’t won in since Feb. 2, 2016.
Both teams got off to a jagged start turning the ball over in every possible way, but somehow the Blue Eagles carried a 7-2 lead heading into the latter stages of the opening stanza.
That’s when the Jackets offense began to rise from the ashes thanks in part to Clare Moore, who nailed a 3-pointer, plus some great rebounding and put backs from Zoe Williams and Kate Marker.
Fort Mill took a 13-7 lead into the second quarter. That’s when the Lady Jackets began to assert their will on Clover. Playing very physical on both ends of the floor, Fort Mill continued to harass Marcia Watt and Brooke Taylor up and down the floor. Moore hit another one from downtown while senior Reagan Reyes added five in the frame which carried the Jackets to a seven-point lead at halftime 23-16.
Whatever Clover head coach Shakira Walker said to her team at halftime worked, because her Blue Eagles were a different team in the third quarter. The intensity meter was all the way to the top as Clover began to fly around and frustrate Fort Mill offensively. Rebounding, which Fort Mill did well in the first half, was key in the third frame as the Blue Eagles got third and fourth chances at put backs.
The Yellow Jackets went ice cold from the floor, but somehow maintained a five-point lead heading into the final quarter. Fort Mill was eight minutes away from ending a long losing streak to Clover on the road. It would be methodical yet entertaining final quarter as each team would drive it to the front of the rim even though both teams were primarily in zone defense.
The Jackets were able to build a double-digit lead thanks to free throws and second chances on the offensive glass. Watt would hit a big 3-pointer to get the Blue Eagle crowd back into it as Walker would call a timeout to switch to a full court press. It worked as Fort Mill began to turn it over leading to transition buckets for Clover as the Blue Eagles cut the lead to one thanks to a 3-pointer from Brooke Taylor.
However, unforced errors began to bite Clover as rebounds would bounce out of bounds and passes seemed to be off the mark.
After a five-second violation on Fort Mill, Clover cut it to two with 30 seconds left. The Jackets somehow managed to get the ball across the timeline before the 10 second violation and was able to pass the basketball brilliantly running 12 seconds off the clock leaving only 19.6 to play.
Taylor drove down the left baseline opening up the passing lane for Samara Lucas. The play was there but Lucas’ pass to Clara Powell for what could have been the game winner went into the Clover cheerleaders.
Fort Mill would knock down free throws to make it a two possession lead with 10 seconds to play. Watt would hit a 3 at the buzzer, but it was too little too later. The Lady Jackets are now 15-5 overall and 1-3 in region play.
Not the be outdone, the boy’s game was a knockdown, drag out street fight that came down to the final possession.
The three-ball was working for both squads in the first eight minutes, but it was the last 3-pointer of the period that was controversial. As the clock ran down, Ryan Ickert launched an off-balance NBA range 3-pointers as the horn sounded. The Clover fans, players and coaches all said he didn’t get it off in time. The officials disagreed and the play stand.
Fort Mill began to slash more down the sides of the lane earning multiple trips to the charity stripe going a perfect 6-6 in the second period. Clover had the better half overall and deserved their 31-25 halftime lead.
The third period looked a lot like the first period for both teams. Once again, the 3-pointer was working as both teams continue to force turnovers and off-balance shots.
Ickert would drain a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the third period of play all square at 41 apiece which would set up a heart stopping final quarter. The intensity, like the noise coming from the stands, was off the charts the entire period.
Clover enjoyed a 55-50 lead at the 2:26 mark and the score would stay that way until AJ Washington nailed a 3-pointer to cut the lead to two. The Jackets defense was able to cause a turnover setting up the final 30 seconds of play. The two teams would take a grand total of eight timeouts in the last 42 seconds of the contest.
Fort Mill had the basketball with 22.5 seconds left trailing by two when head coach Myron Lowery called his last timeout. Nas Berry would take the inbound and drive back to the top of the key as Washington peeled off a screen. As Washington launched the long shot, the ball appeared to be drifting to the left but it banked in giving Fort Mill its first lead in the contest since the first quarter.
Clover had the ball with 11.4 seconds left. Trenton Palumbo would inbound the ball to Jaylon Hoover, who forced up an off balance 18-footer which was woefully short. Darryl Carrington would get the rebound and hand it off to Logan Parker as the clock hit zero to give the Yellow Jackets a hard-earned win over Clover.
With the win, Fort Mill improves to 13-7 overall, but sit atop the pile in the region with a 3-1 mark. Next games up for the Yellow Jackets are against the Nation Ford Falcons on Tuesday, Jan. 23.
