TIPTON — Eastern’s boys basketball team scored the final 10 points of the game as the Comets overcame a spirited Sheridan fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Blackhawks 66-58 in first round of play in the Class 2A Tipton Sectional Wednesday night.
Eastern, now 11-10 overall, won a sectional game for the first time since the 2004-2005 season and ended the Blackhawks’ season at 8-13. The Comets will now face Tipton in the semifinal round at 7:45 p.m. Friday night.
Photo Gallery: Eastern Vs. Sheridan
“Our approach all year has been to take one game at a time and we prepared this week for Sheridan the best that we could,” said Eastern coach Duane Keisling. “It has been a few years and as I have said all season long, this is just another important step for our program.”
Fighting back from a deficit for the second time in the game, the Blackhawks took the lead at 57-56 near the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter when junior guard Adam Durr sank a 3-point shot. Less than 30 seconds later, Sheridan junior guard Carlton Summe added a free throw to push the lead to 58-56 before the Comets made the final charge.
Eastern’s Brandon Hainlen hit two free throws to tie the game at 58 and then junior guard Dylan Buck made a steal near half-court and converted a layup to put the Comets back in the lead at 60-58 with 3:10 left.
After a couple of empty possessions, the Blackhawks called timeout with 1:31 showing on the clock. Over the next minute Sheridan would commit two costly turnovers and then foul Eastern sophomore Wes Horner. Horner hit both freebies for a 62-58 lead with :32 left.
In the final seconds, the Blackhawks would miss two free throws and three shots, while Horner would drop four more free throws in as many tries to provide the winning margin.
However, all of the late-game Eastern heroics would not have been necessary had the Comets not blown an early 15-point lead.
From the opening tip, Eastern blitzed the Blackhawks in the game’s first eight minutes. With junior center Joby Renbarger scoring six points and pulling down seven rebounds, the Comets jumped out to a 17-2 lead and then settled for a 19-6 advantage after one quarter.
Sheridan turned the tables in the second quarter as the Blackhawks outscored Eastern 24-10 to grab a 30-29 lead at the half. Senior Nick Zachary and Summe each scored seven points in the quarter to lead the Sheridan comeback.
“We came out and everything was clicking,” said Keisling. “After playing so well in the first quarter, I think we took ourselves out of the game mentally and that caused a let down. We simply got complacent and let them build confidence and get back in the game.”
Eastern once again looked to Renbarger in the third quarter and the post man responded with 10 third-quarter markers to help the Comets lead 46-43 after three.
The Comets stretched the lead to 51-43 early in the fourth before the Blackhawks went on a 13-5 run to erase the lead and set the stage for the final Eastern surge that ultimately decided the game.
Three Eastern players recorded career-best performances Wednesday night. Renbarger finished with 25 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Horner added a personal best of 17 points and Buck scored his career high with 12 markers. Eastern’s Steve Boomershine, who injured his left knee last Friday against Tri-Central, dressed for the game but did not play.
Zachary led Sheridan with 23 points and Durr came off the bench to add 14. The Blackhawks’ leading scorer during the season, senior Ty Perkins (19 points per game), was dismissed from the Sheridan squad last week prior to the Blackhawks game with Twin Lakes.
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HOOPS: Eastern weathers Sheridan’s charge
Renbarger leads Comets with 25 points, 15 rebounds
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