The Spencerport boys basketball team hadn’t won a game all season and held a three-point lead with just over two minutes remaining in regulation, but visiting Penfield outscored them 12-6 form that point on to win 59-55.
“We haven’t been in that situation this season and, with a young team, we missed some shots and made some mistakes that hurt us,” said Rangers head coach Chris Crowell. “A few turnovers and you end up on the wrong end of the score, but I’m proud of the guys; especially since we lost to them by 30 points earlier this season.”
The Rangers did battle back after scoring just five points in the first quarter and trailing 15-5 after eight minutes. With Penfield in foul trouble, the Rangers were 8-of-10 from the free throw line in the second quarter with Brandon Ellis adding a trey plus John Feeney and Isiah Ingram lay-ups to pull them to within five points of the lead at halftime.
A late third quarter rally started by a drive by Jon Gill, a steal and lay-up by Ellis and consecutive three-pointers from Maleik Owens and Ingram set up the fourth quarter.
Ellis began the final stanza by tying the score on a lay-up and Spencerport took their first lead of the game with 5:12 remaining on a trey by Owens.
JJ Johnson hit a jumper and went 4-for-4 from the free throw line to put the Rangers up 49-47 with less than three minutes left. But a Penfield three-pointer put them back in front and they added two more field goals to go up by five points before Ingram hit a three with 25 seconds left to pull the Rangers to within two points.
The Patriots hit on five of six free throws to lock up the contest before Johnson hit a trey with 1.4 seconds left for the final points.
Johnson led the Rangers with 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks while Ellis had ten points and Zekiah Owens added nine points, five rebounds, two blocks and a pair of steals. Ingram finished with eight points.
