The JV Dons Basketball team traveled to College Park on Saturday after an emotional win Wednesday evening against the Eagles at home. Saturday’s game was the 4th in 5 days for the Dons.
The first quarter got off to a quick start with Eli Brent hitting Jack Bayless for a jumper in the lane for the first basket of the game. Bennett Dodge started out strong with a put back offensive rebound for a bucket. After a series of stand up defense efforts led by Justin Zegarowski and Brent walling off a driving Eagles’ shooter at the rim and turning him away,
Jack Bayless got loose on a fast break and advanced the Dons lead 6-2 in the opening minutes. Bayless then beat his defender and dropped the ball over the front of the rim for another score. The quarter ended with Koleton Fenton scoring on a put back off an offensive rebound with the score 10-9 Dons.
Keeping the momentum going the Dons’ Landon Santos fed Justin Zegarowski in the paint on an inbound play for two points. Taran Krishanan entered the game and went right to work, ripping down a rebound and hitting the outlet with the ball working its way into Dominic Sarica who was fouled on a cut to the basket. Dominic made one of two free throws. Krishnan was fouled shooting a left handed layup and made one of two free throws and then pulled another defense rebound on the next possession and then recovered a loose ball and was fouled for another Dons’ possession. The Eagles hit a three point shot to tie the game at fourteen apiece. Jack Bayless scored on a jump shot in the lane to make it 16-16. Eli Brent was fouled on the defense in the bonus shooting 1:1 and made both free throws ending the half with the Dons down by one, 18-19
Opening the third quarter Eli Brent was fouled shooting a three point shot and was granted three free throws and he made them all. Jack Bayless was fouled driving to the bucket and made both free throws. Landon Santos was hit on the head on a driving layup and made one of two free throws. Koleton Fenton completed a three point play on an assist from Justin Zegarowski. After confusion coming out of a stoppage of play the Eagles were caught with six players on the court and Zegarowski made one of two technical free throws. The Eagles kept finding ways to score and led at the end of the quarter 28-36.
These two teams have no doubt developed a rivalry and the fourth quarter demonstrated how much both teams wanted to win. The Dons started the quarter strong with Bennett Dodge getting fouled on a rebound in the bonus and made one of two free throws. Dodge was working hard on the glass every minute he was on the floor. Bennett then found Bayless cutting to the basket for a wide open layup. Landon Santos whipped a cross court pass to Jack Bayless on a back cut to the basket for a huge bucket. Bayless was then fouled in a 1:1 situation and made both free throws to bring the Dons to within one at 35-36. Bennett Dodge was fouled and made one of two free throws. Dodge was fouled again in the post and made another free throw. Bayless hauled in a must have rebound and Koleton Fenton was fouled in the double bonus and made one of two free throws.
With the score 38-40 Brent poked the ball away from an Eagle as he soared down the court on a fast break. Bayless fell on the ball to give the Dons an extra possession. Dodge was once again fouled and made a free throw to bring the deficit to one, the score 39-40. The Eagles made another free throw of their own and the Dons desperately needed a stop and a rebound with the game clock running down. The Eagles shot the ball and it bounded high over the Dons who were crashing the boards and College Park grabbed the offensive rebound and got a fresh 35 second shot clock. The score remained 39-41. The Dons had the last offensive possession of the game and had good looks at the rim but shots fell short and the game was over with the Dons losing a hard fought game by two points.
The high scorers were Jack Bayless (16), Koleton Fenton (6) Bennett Dodge (6) and Eli Brent (5). The next game is against St. Patrick’s on Wednesday.