The JDS bench counted down the seconds left in overtime. “3, 2, 1,” they chanted, and as the buzzer went off after a last-second heave by the St. Anselm’s Abbey School Panthers fell short, the Lions excitedly rushed the court. The high energy displayed by the Lions (16-4) over the course of the whole game paid off, as they took the win after a marathon of a game on Monday night, winning 55-51 in overtime.
The game was close the entire time, with the score never being more than an eight point difference between the two teams. The Panthers started out by winning the tip-off and getting quick points through finishes at the rim, but the Lions were able to tie it up by the middle of the 2nd quarter. Head Coach Ryan Eskow attributed this to the leadership of the team’s seniors.
“[The Panthers] are a very good team, and I think we weathered their storms, and we came back strong,” Eskow said.
Two seniors who played a large role in the game on defense were Jakob Lipsky and Caden Mont. Both players were sharp at the rim, getting rebounds on both offense and defense, with Lipsky’s pressurizing defense forcing a timeout by the Panthers in the 2nd quarter and Mont intercepting a pass in overtime, leading to a key layup for the Lions.
The game remained close at the end of the first half, as the Lions led narrowly, 24-21. The two teams traded buckets back and forth throughout the 3rd quarter, with senior Cyrus Blumenthal making a 3-pointer along with a layup, and seniors Matty Stillman and Leo Steindecker adding layups at the rim. By the end of the quarter, the Lions were up 40-35.
But the Panthers wouldn’t go down easily, with their senior center Rooke Payne, who scored more than half of the Panthers’ points, adding 9 of his 33 in the 4th quarter. Stillman made the final basket of the 4th quarter to tie the game at 44-all with 1:06 left. After the two teams exchanged missed layups, the buzzer sounded with the game still tied.
Junior Dylan Shank, who led the Lions with 18 points in the game, said that during high pressure moments such as a close game in the 4th quarter, it’s important to stay focused and play as a team.
“We all trust each other so we know [if] we don’t make the play, the next guy up will just make it,” Shank said. “Everybody’s there for each other. If you miss a shot, the next guy will go hustle and get the rebound or go get a stop.”
Overtime began with a loss for the Lions, as Steindecker was hit in the nose and had to leave the game, blood streaming down his face after the foul. Junior Shia Messler, who took foul shots in place of Steindecker, said that in a game as close as this one, it is paramount to always be ready to be the next man up.
“[When] one guy’s having an off night, or one guy’s not feeling the greatest, the next guy comes up and gets them the time that they need to sit down so then he can get back in,” Messler said. “So it’s really about…pushing through and being ready.”
Despite the injury, as well as fans from both teams criticizing the referees’ calls the whole game, the Lions were able to rise to the challenge in overtime, hitting 6 out of their 8 foul shots and successfully preventing a last-second comeback by the Panthers.
The end of the game was physically taxing on the Lions, as Blumenthal limped off the court with 1:15 left in overtime. Eskow maintained that regardless of all the injuries a team can face in a season, especially as the playoffs approach, it is crucial to remain vigilant and stay consistent.
“The whole year we’ve kind of lived by next man up,” he said. “We’ve had injuries this year…but I think it’s just always…guy goes down, somebody’s got to be ready. [I’m] just really proud of my guys gritting it out.”
