Rockets hand Botkins first loss
ANNA — It was just a little too much ground.
The Botkins boys suffered their first loss of the regular season on Friday night, falling 61-59 to Anna in a Shelby County League thriller that went down the final buzzer.
Botkins held a onepoint lead after the first, but Anna went on a big run in the second, and built a ninepoint advantage at the break.
That lead continued to grow in the third, with the Rockets up by 15, 52-37, entering the last quarter.
In the final six minutes, Botkins stormed its way back, turning mainly to Carter Pleiman, and eventually cut the lead down to a single point, 59-58, with 52 seconds to go.
A steal gave Botkins the ball back and Anna was called for a foul as the players prepared for the inbounds pass.
Jayden Priddy made one free throw to tie it, but missed the second. Anna’s Jacob Robinson drew contact while battling for the rebound.
He went to the other end and hit both shots. Botkins got the ball across halfcourt, then called timeout with 23 seconds to go.
They got the ball in and worked it around. Zane Paul launched a 3-point attempt, but it was offline. Anna got the rebound and Ben Kovacs was fouled with five seconds left.
He missed his shot, giving the Trojans one final chance. They quickly brought the ball downcourt, but Pleiman’s shot at the buzzer hit the front of the rim.
Botkins now sits at 11-1 overall and 6-1 in the league. Anna improves to 5-2 in the SCAL and 8-4 overall.
Coach Sean Powell of Botkins said that “it was a great game. Anna got the job done.” He noted that the Rockets were able to disrupt the Trojans’ offensive flow. “We never felt comfortable in the first half,” he said.
Noting that “it was a lot of little things” that made the difference, he called it a good learning experience.
Priddy finished with 24 points and Pleiman had 17 for Botkins.
The Rockets had four players in double figures. Mccain Finkenbine and Ben Kovacs each had 17 points, while Zach
Ambos had 13 and Isaiah Masteller scored 10.
Priddy opened the scoring on the night by making a steal and taking it for a layup just a few seconds into the game, then hit a three-pointer from the top of the key.
Finkenbine hit a trey for the Rockets’ first points. After trading baskets, a three by Paul and a hook shot from Jacob Pleiman put Botkins up 12-5. Anna called time with 3:19 to play to regroup.
The Rockets then got a putback by Kovacs, a three in the corner by Ambos and a deep three by Finkenbine with 20 seconds to go, taking the lead for first time.
Paul scored before the quarter ended, putting the Trojans back in front.
Isaiah Masteller made a foul shot in the opening moments of the second period to tie the game.
Jacob Pleiman put Botkins back up. Anna then went on a 11-2 run over the next three minutes to get out to a 25-18 lead. The streak included scores by four different players. First was a running layup by Finkenbine, then a score by Kovacs off a pass by Masteller, a threepoint play by Ambos, then buckets by Masteller and Ambos.
Denton Homan had the Botkins score with 4:58 to go
After two free throws by Priddy, the Rockets had another burst, this one 8-2 to push the margin into double digits, 33-22.
A score by Priddy cut it to nine before the teams retired to the locker rooms to talk matters over.
With Anna up 35-27 midway through the third, Masteller and Ambos connected on consecutive 3-pointers and Botkins called time. After another score, this one by Kovacs, Botkins rallied a bit.
Carter Pleiman made two shots, Jacob Pleiman had an uncontested dunk, and Priddy made a shot. Anna’s points during this stretch came on a three by Finkenbine that saw him shoot from nearly the halfcourt line.
Anna then pushed the gap back up to 17. Priddy got a score to close out the period’s scoring for the Trojans.
Carter Pleiman hoisted a three from the corner and hit to start off the fourth. After a pair of foul shots by Kovacs, Priddy answered for Botkins.
Carter Pleiman had a traditional threepoint play, and after a steal, Priddy scored as well, and it was now a seven-point spread.
The teams went back and forth as Anna held on to the lead and worked to reduce the time remaining.
Carter Pleiman had a score with 2:37 to play. He was fouled and completed the play with the shot. Anna then had a turnover and Pleiman scored in transition, reducing the gap to three, 59-56.
After a Botkins timeout, Anna lost the ball out of bounds with 1:21 to go.
Paul scored with 52 seconds left. Another steal forced by the Trojans D gave them possession with 26 seconds.
Masteller was whistled for a push in the back while the players were setting up for the inbounds pass.
That set up the final sequence, with Anna taking the lead and Botkins’ undefeated run coming to an end.
Game Notes
Anna won the junior varsity contest 50-31.
Botkins will be back on the court tonight as they travel to face Bath. The Wildcats lost to Celina in overtime in Friday night.
Excellent energy from the crowd in spite of COVID protocols limiting the size.