Cole Riley leads Pacers but Switzerland County fails to defeat Eagles, 58-49
The Switzerland County Pacers were shorthanded when they traveled to Osgood last Friday night to take on the Jac-Cen-Del Eagles, and after spending most of the contest with the high-flying Eagles, the Pacers ended up falling behind and losing along a final score of 58-49.
But the game’s 11-point lead didn’t tell the whole story, as the game ended in the fourth quarter where Jac-Cen-Del beat Switzerland County by a 19-6 lead to seal the win.
The Pacers, who are without starters Jacob Williams, key reserve Austin Bosaw and still without the services of starter Bryce Turner earlier in the season, came out hot against the Eagles, scoring the first seven points of the game with a three-pointer from Ben Hicks, a Hicks basket and a Cam Craig basket after an assist from Hicks.
The Eagles, celebrating Senior Night, rebounded with three points from Justin Swinney and Wyatt Day to close on one; Showing superb play, Switzerland County’s Cole Riley scored an inside goal to keep the lead at three.
Jac-Cen-Del responded with a basket from Swinney and a three from Caleb Simon to take the lead; but another inside basket from Riley ended the game 11-11 with 48 seconds to play.
Simon scored again for the Eagles, and again it was Riley, this time with a buzzer-beater on the block, and the teams went into the first break tied 13-13.
Officials came into play early in the second quarter when Craig — the conference’s top scorer — was whistled 2-12 in the first quarter with three fouls. Those sent the newcomer phenom to the bench alongside coach Travis Wrightsman for the rest of the half.
Jac-Cen-Del made the most of the opportunity, Simon hit a field goal and Day took a free throw to take a three lead.
Hicks scored again to stop the run; but Nathan Hoffman converted two free throws for the Eagles. Bryce Wrightsman then drilled a jumper that reduced the deficit to one for the Pacers; but two straight baskets by day put the Jac Cen Del lead to 22-17 with just under five minutes to play.
Riley scored again for the Pacers; but Day countered with a field goal and a free throw; and with 3:16 to go, the Eagles held a six-point lead, 25-19.
Switzerland County raced back, with Canaan Johnson hitting with a jumper, Trace Johnson scoring a three and Wrightsman scoring a field goal from the baseline in the last minute, and the teams went into halftime with Switzerland County leading a 26-25 .
After the break, the Pacer lead swelled to five with two straight buckets from Riley; but Simon made two direct baskets for the Eagles to close the gap back to one.
Craig made a free throw; but a Matt Dickman basket ended the game 31-31 with five minutes remaining in the third game.
Wrightsman answered the challenge with a basket; but with 4:25 left, Simon hit a three for Jac-Cen-Del – his 1,000. point in his career – and the Eagles were up a point.
Switzerland County got another rebuff from Riley; but Devin Grieshop scored for the Eagles to keep Jac-Cen-Del by a lead.
Again, the Pacers rallied and got two free throws from Craig to take the lead, but Day hit a three and with 2:22 left Jac-Cen-Del again had a 39-37 advantage.
Coach Travis Wrightsman’s Pacers roared back as the third period ended, earning a free throw from Craig; a three-pointer from Wrightsman and a bucket from Riley — and the third ended with the Pacers leading 43-39.
With a four-point lead in the final eight minutes, the Pacers stumbled a bit as the fourth opened.
Jac-Cen-Del scored six straight points, a Swinney free throw, a Simon dunk and a Simon three-pointer, and the four-point lead turned into a two-point deficit with just under six minutes to play.
Wrightsman hit another jumper to level the game for the Pacers, but Jac-Cen-Del responded with free throws from Day, a three-pointer from Ryan Wilson and two free throws from Simon that took the Eagles lead to seven, 52-45 , opened three minutes to go.
But the Pacers were primed for another run, getting a basket from Wrightsman and a jumper from Craig to climb to three under two minutes — but those would be the last points Switzerland County would release that night.
Jac-Cen-Del finished the game at the free throw line and converted six straight free throws to seal the win.
End grade: Jac-Cen-Del 58, Switzerland County 49.
The Pacers were led on the night by Riley, who fought inside at both ends of the floor to finish with 16 points.
Wrightsman was also in double digits at 13; Craig had eight; Hicks added seven; Trace Johnson had three; and Canaan Johnson chipped in two.
Jac-Cen-Del was led by Simon at 21; and Day had 20.
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In Friday night’s juniors’ college game, coach Anthony Wilks’ Pacers lost by a final score of 40-29.
Bradley Romans had 13 points to lead Switzerland County in scoring; while Dyan Sullivan had eight.
Cooper Todd, Levi Curlin, Roman Hite and Carson Byrd each contributed two points.