Back to Back Thrillers

The Flight Boys split two thrillers with Covenant Monday night. DJ’s foul shot with 3.3 seconds remaining in the JV game gave Flight a 44 - 43 win. In the nightcap Travis’ two foul shots with 15 seconds gave Flight the lead, until Covenant hit a long game-winning 3-pointer just before the buzzer. Also, the JV Girls won 59 - 18, and the Middle School Boys lost by four.

Covenant jumped out to a quick 7 - 2 lead before Flight got their bearings. Gerald even tapped one in the wrong basket. Jos scored off a rebound. Q stole the ball and passed ahead to Jared, whose lay-up was goal-tended. Later Jared sank two foul shots, then DJ’s three-pointer tied the game. David checked in, bringing his much needed physical intensity...and grabbed three rebounds before the quarter ended. Flight was only down two: 13 - 11.

Flight opened the second quarter with three missed three-pointers, before Phillip drained one from the corner. After a steal, Travis went the distance for a lay-up. Q passed in to Travis, who made a running jumper in the lane, with some nice touch. Then Travis returned the favor on the next possession, passing to Q in the corner for a three-pointer. Next DJ and Travis added three-pointers. Travis again assisted Q, then DJ passed in to Travis. Flight held a slight 31 - 30 halftime lead.

In the third quarter Covenant came out in a press, and they reeled off twelve straight points. They would extend their lead to 17 points. The game was getting even more physical. DJ was fouled hard on a lay-up. On the way back upcourt DJ got in the way of the ball-handler and was called for a flagrant foul. At the same time other players were involved in some pushing. Covenant only sank one of four foul shots.

Later David sank two free throws to cut the lead to ten, 45 - 35. Matthew came off the bench and got three quick assists: first inside to David, then to Travis, then to David again. But Flight trailed 59 - 42 at the end of the quarter.

It took a 14 - 4 Flight fourth quarter run to make the game even more exciting. Gerald drew an offensive foul. Travis went coast to coast. Dj hit a three. Josiah made a lay-up after a steal, then drew an offensive foul. Q’s attempted fall-away jumper was an airball...rebounded and put back by DJ. Travis hit a short jumper in the lane. Another three by DJ. Intense.

After Q’s free throw made the score 58 - 63, Chris came into the game. Several of the girls cheered, and Chris looked over, smiled, and gave a quick wave. I saw one of the referees crack a smile. Jose scored two baskets in a row, the second a lay-up on a long pass from DJ. A technical foul was called on the Covenant coach. On the ensuing inbounds play Josiah made a long pass to Travis, for an easy lay-up. Later Q leaped for a rebound, immediately tossing the ball into the basket, while being fouled. Travis’ lay-up made the score 69 - 72. Another argument led to another technical, and Travis made both foul shots.

DJ then hit a runner in the lane, putting Flight ahead 73 - 73 with 33 seconds left. On the other end DJ was called for a blocking foul as the Covenant player made the lay-up. Then DJ made a foul shot, then had to foul to put Covenant back on the line. After a Covenant miss, a technical was called on a Covenant fan! With 15 seconds left and the lead, an over-eager Covenant defender fouled Travis, and his two free throws gave Flight the lead, 77 - 76. Covenant inbounded the ball and ran the clock down. Flight’s defense extended out to the three-point line, but the Covenant sharp-shooter fired from far outside the stripe. The shot swished just before the buzzer sounded.

Varsity
Travis...28 pt, 4 rb, 1 steal, 2 assists, block
DJ.....19 pt, 3 rb, 2 assists
Josiah...9 pt, 5 rb, steal, assist
Q.....8 pt, 2 rb, steal, 3 assists
David...6 pt, 4 rb
Jared...4 pt, 4 rb.
Philip...3 pt, rb
Gerald...5 rebounds
Matthew...rebound, 3 assists
Chris...one wave to the girls in the crowd, drawing a chuckle from the ref.

JV
Connor...22 pt, 4 rb, 2 steals, block
DJ...10 pt, 4 rb, 3 steals, 3 assists, block
Isaac...7 pt, rb, 3 steals, assist
Jonathan B...3 pt, 2 rb, steal, 2 assists
Kevin...2 pt, 9 rb
Josh...7 rb, assist, block
Jonathan...3 rb
Will...rebound, block
Joel...rebound