HICKSVILLE – Connor Welling’s steal and score to start the fourth period ignited a Rams offense that struggled top find it’s rhythm through the first three quarters of play Friday night at the Red Zone in Hicksville. The Welling bucket gave the Rams a 31-30 lead over the host Aces just one minute into the crucial fourth quarter.

Through the initial 24 minutes of play, Hicksville looked to throw a wrench in Tinora’s plans on staying alone atop the GMC standings. The Rams, 15-3, needing a win to capture at least a share of the GMC title, sat alone atop the standings at 5-0, while the Aces, 7-11, have struggled, entering at 1-4 in conference play.

Hicksville’s Jayden Rozalez got the Aces off and running with a left wing three pointer, giving the Aces a early 3-0 lead. Rozalez would then hit a right wing three for a 6-3 Aces advantage. Jesus Avalos’s runner in the lane gave the Aces a 8-3 lead with 2:15 in the initial quarter. The Rams Josh Lieb’s left wing three ended the scoring in the quarter as the Aces grabbed a 8-6 advantage.

After being stymied through the first eight minutes, Tinora opened the second stanza with a 4-0 run. Buckets by Connor Welling and a circus shot by Adam Spycala gave the Rams their first lead at 10-8 with 6:25 left in the half.

Josh Lieb’s second three of the half increased the Tinora lead to 15-12 at the 2;20 mark, Hicksville’s Luke Eicher tied the game at 15-15 on the Aces next possession. Lieb would dial up his third three pointer of the half with 25 seconds remaining, giving Tinora a 20-17 lead as the first half came to an end.

The Aces defense gave Tinora fits in the first half, clogging the usual in sync Tinora offense.

Hicksville came out of the half on fire, starting the third quarter with a 8-0 run, grabbing a 25-20 lead on back to back left corner Austin Sanders three pointers. Coach Lymanstall and his Rams asked for a timeout with 6:15 in the quarter.

Tinora’s only basket in the third quarter came at 6:06 remaining on a Josh Lieb basket and free throw, cutting the Aces lead to 25-23. Hicksville’s offensive flow and defense intensity would continue to give the Rams fits for the remainder of the third quarter. The Aces closed the quarter out leading 27-23 as Jesus Avalos would give Hicksville a four point lead after three quarters of play.

Sensing their hold on the GMC lead slipping away, Tinora climbed up atop the horse and returned to the team that came in 15-3, and 5-0. the Rams offense poured in 22 fourth quarter points.

As the final eight minutes evolved, both offenses were running on jet fuel.

Owen Ferrell’s right side three got the Rams rolling, his three cut the Aces lead to 27-26. Right back came Hicksville as freshman Paxton Yoder drained his only basket of the game, the Aces led 30-26 lead with 7:15 remaining in the contest.

Josh Lieb answered the Aces three with his fourth of the game, cutting the Hicksville lead to 30-29 with 6:55 on the clock. Connor Welling would finally give Tinora the lead back on his steal and score as mentioned above. The basket would be Lieb’s 15th point, and his last of the game.

Tinora’s patented patient offense would again strike, this time on a Adam Spyclala right wing three, the Spychala three gave Tinora a 34-30 lead with 5:25 remaining.

Tinora grabbed their biggest lead of the night on their next possession on a Alex Homier basket and free throw. Homier would give the Rams a 37-30 lead. Homier would score all of his eight points in the crucial fourth quarter comeback.

Tinora would continue the defensive pressure and crashed the boards over the final four minutes. Homier’s three pointer with 2:23 on the clock increased the Tinora lead to 40-32, but Austin Sanders of Hicksville answered right back with his third three of the second half, closing the gap to 40-35 with 2:05 remaining.

Hicksville would not go away as Luke Eicher’s floater closed cap to 41-37 with 1:15 in the game. Tinora’s Adam Spychala’s layup gave the Rams a 43-37 advantage with 55 seconds on the clock.

The Rams would close out the final seconds on their way to a 45-37 win. The victory by Tinora clinched at worse a tie for the GMC title, Tinora’s first since 2011.

Tinora can clinch the outright Green Meadows Conference title with a win at home over Paulding next Friday as the Panthers make the trip to Tinora.

Get out and support this fantastic team next Friday night!

TINORA 6-14-3-22 = 45
HICKSVILLE 8-9-10-10 = 37

Tinora scoring: Schaufele 0, Ferrell 6, Welling 6, Homier 8, Lieb 15, Hancock 0, Spychala 10

Hicksville scoring: Sanders 9, Langham 0, Stuckey 0, Eicher 8, Rosalez 0, Phillips 0, Avalos 7, Yoder 3

Freshman Tinora
JV Tinora

The Rams improve to 16-3, 6-0 in the GMC. Tinora will travel to Pettisville Saturday to take on a very good Blackbirds team, 15-4.

Hicksville drops to 7-12, 1-5 in the GMC. The Aces will travel to Antwerp next Friday.

The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game award went to Josh Lieb, congratulations, Josh.