The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Knights’ farewell ends well
Newbury trailed by a point when Coach Dave Orms called timeout as 10 seconds remained in a Division IV sectional semifinal against Maplewood on Feb. 25.
The Black Knights, playing the final game in program history on their home floor, needed a gamewinning basket. Coach Dave Orms called “Duke” in the huddle and his son, Jacob, inbounded from the sideline to Noah Arnold.
Orms cut toward the baseline, brushing his man off a screen set by John Tropf at the elbow. Arnold lofted a pass over two defenders that Orms caught with two hands and immediately shot the ball into the basket from the right block.
Maplewood took timeout before the Rockets turned the ball over on their final possession, and Newbury celebrated a 49-48 victory in its final home game.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Orms said.
“I can tell you stories from when I was this tall with (Tropf) still playing little-kid basketball, not even knowing how to dribble. It’s been great growing up, basically, in this gym and around this school. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
The best part of Orms’ game-winner? The play his father called in the huddle hadn’t worked all year. But for the first time, it provided the decisive points that capped Newbury’s rally from a double-digit deficit.
Newbury improved to 7-16. The Black Knights advance to a Grand Valley District sectional final at topseeded Bristol on Feb. 29.
Tropf, a junior, led Newbury with 15 points. Arnold, a senior, had 14. The Black Knights bought their final season another game and two more days of practice but, as they cut down the nets following the win against Maplewood, plan to enjoy their final home triumph for at least one night.
“It means the world,” Tropf said. “We’ve been going here so long. We’ve played basketball our whole lives, we’ve played together. This is a pretty awesome way to finish it.”
Maplewood built an 11-point halftime lead behind 15 first-half points from Gavin Ainsley. Ainsley hit six 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 29 points.
At half, the Black Knights found their focus and played much cleaner — and harder. Newbury closed the third quarter on a 10-2 run to even the score, 37-37, headed to the fourth.
“I came out today thinking we can’t lose,” Orms said. “It’s the last game we were ever going to play here. Losing just wasn’t an option for us, honestly.”
Evan Arnold’s layup began the fourth to give the Black Knights their first lead since the opening period. Ainsley responded with a pair of 3s, but Newbury again rallied.
Monte Myer and Tropf each scored in transition to tie the score at 45. Noah Arnold put the Black Knights up, 47-45, with a layup as 26 seconds remained. Ainsley made his last 3 of the game before Jacob Orms’ heroics.
When the final buzzer sounded, Newbury’s players embraced one another near midcourt. At one end of the floor, freshman Calvin Eggleston popped off a few celebratory backflips.
Dave Orms struggled to hold back his emotions following the game, as he considered the community’s final chance to watch Newbury play at home and his son’s role in the Black Knights’ victory.
“It couldn’t be any better,” Orms said. “I was glad to see so many people here to help us out and give us the support. It’s the playoffs, win or go home. I guess we’ve got a couple more practices and one more game.”