TINORA- As Clark Griswold said, and Rams head coach Kris Lymanstall is more than likely thinking, if anyone is looking for any last minute Christmas gifts, Lymanstall has a few suggestions.
Lymnastall, staff and Rams players are thinking a lucky rabbit’s foot, a lucky charm, a four leaf clover, any or all of those would be great Christmas gifts.
As the Rams welcomed in the Patrick Henry Patriots tonight, Tinora has had the worst luck of any team in the area as they brought in a 2-5 record. With a lucky bounce here or there, the Rams hoopsters could easily be 5-2 at the worse.
The task at hand Thursday night from Tinora was the surprising 5-1 Patriots. Patrick Henry head coach, 1997 state champion Bryan Hieber, has the Patriots playing as well as anyone through the first quarter of the season.
After a sluggish start by both teams, an eight point first quarter by Tinora junior Luke Harris gave the Rams an 11-7 lead after the first quarter.
A second quarter battle between the Rams Harris and the Patriots freshman sensation Lincoln Creager ended with Tinora taking a 16-12 lead into the Half. Harris ended the half with 11 points, Creager entered the locker room with 7. Tinora never trailed in the first half, both Harris and Creager were just getting started.
Quarter three saw the Rams lead increase to as many as seven on several occasions. Tinora ended the third quarter leading, 31-24. Creager with six in the quarter for the Patriots, 11 for the contest.
The final quarter saw the Tinora Rams and Patrick Henry Patriots both dig in for a battle, and what a battle it was. Both Creager of PH, Harris and Schafer for the Rams had quite the standoff. Schafer with 10 second half points, 9 from the line, tried to hold off the Patriots. Harris also battled with 11 second half points, four from the line, as the Rams led 36-30 with just over three minutes remaining.
Over the next three minutes, it seemed both teams lived at the line. Several huge buckets and free throws down the stretch for Tinora’s Eric Bohn gave the Rams a 38-32 lead.
A Luke Harris bucket and free throw increased the Tinora lead to 41-34 with 2:40 remaining. At this point, the freshman from PH, Lincoln Creager took over. Creager with six points in the next 1:45 cut the Rams lead to 41-39.
Tinora, looking to hang on, sent Luke Harris to the line with 30 seconds remaining, Harris converted both for points 21 & 22, his final points of the night. The Harris free throws gave the Rams a 44-41 with 29 seconds remaining.
Two split free throws by the Patriots Creager cut the Rams lead to 44-42 with 17 seconds remaining.
In the free throw contest down the stretch, PH send Tinora senior Eric Bohn to the line with 16 seconds remaining, Bohn calmly sunk both free throws, giving the Rams a 47-42 lead.
In what turns out to be the second-biggest play of regulation, the Patriots Landon Johnson raced down the floor, hit a runner and was fouled, hitting the free throw with 12 seconds left, cutting the Rams lead to 47-45.
Patrick Henry’s lead man Bryan Hieber sent the Rams back to the line with a two point lead, Tinora missed both free throws.
The Patriots Creager launched a 16-foot jump shot from just beyond the free throw line with three seconds left, the shot was off, lading on the fingertips of Patriot Kaden Rosenbrook, Rosenbrook tipped the ball in at the buzzer, tying the game at 47.
This was the only time the Rams did not hold the lead in regulation.
The overtime saw the Rams Nolan Schafer give the Rams the lead on the initial possession of the OT session, 49-47. The Patriots would take their first lead of the game, 50-49 on a right wing three by senior Will Seedorf.
Tinora’s Schafer responded with two made free throws, putting Tinora back up 51-50 with 2:17 left in the OT session, this would be the last lead of the night for the Rams.
The Patriots responded with three straight buckets, taking a 56-51 with 30 seconds left, Tinora could get no closer, dropping the game 59-54.
With the loss, and continued bad luck, the Rams fall to 2-6. Next week, Tinora will travel to Paulding to take part in the State Bank Holiday Classic. Tinora will take on Cardinal Stritch Monday at 6 pm. Wauseon and Paulding will tip at 8 pm. The Rams will play Tuesday as well.
The Patriots improve to 6-1 with the win, Patrick Henry will take part in the Henry County Classic on 12/27 & 12/30 at Liberty Center vs Holgate.
Tinora Scoring
Harris 22
Schafer 15
Bohn 9
Eckert 3
Anders 3
Miles 2
Patrick Henry Scoring
Creager 24
Johnson 9
Seedorf 7
Rosenbrook 7
Jackson 6
Meyer 4
Rosengarten 2
JV – Patrick Henry 30 Tinora 20
PH- Thomas Smith 8
Rams- Aiden Rittenhouse 11
