By T.J. Turrisi
FRANKLIN — Let’s do a little Meadville mathematics. Your team minus the best player plus two others with four fouls divided by three freshman on the floor equals one huge monkey off the back.
It was just that equation which led the Meadville Bulldogs to sealing the deal at the free-throw line Friday for a 72-67 overtime road win and a sweep of archrival Franklin.
The ’Dogs were 7-for-10 at the line in the extra period, and Artrel Foster, who had a career night with 20 points, rang up four in the fifth frame.
“Artrel’s getting to the point where you don’t need to call him a young guy anymore,” Meadville coach Norm Price said. “He’s making a step up.”
Price added that he believes the team’s moving up to 8-2 in Region 5 will guarantee them a playoff spot in the District 10 Class AAA bracket this season.
Leading scorer Raymond Hamilton came up big as usual with 23 points, including one 3-pointer and three blocked shots. But the junior playmaker fouled out with seven ticks remaining in the fourth quarter. He is seven points short of reaching the 1,000-point milestone.
Price went to a lineup with one senior, a junior and three freshmen as Cody Trinch sank the 1-and-1 for a 67-all tie.
“With Ray out of the game, we ran game-winner,” Price said. “Samer did a great job and got it to the hole. He just missed it. It was a good shot.”
Newsome went the length of the court, put up a nifty left-hander in the face of a defender. The ball bounced around the backboard and rim but did not quite fall.
With the odds against them, senior forward Adam Barba stepped up in OT to net 3 of 4 freebie attempts in the final 14 seconds to slam the door.
“It was a great win,” Price said. “When you’ve got to play overtime without a kid (Hamilton) averaging 25 a game the odds probably are not in your favor. But our kids played great. These guys have come a long way.
“Adam played great in the overtime and everybody did enough.”
Franklin grabbed the early lead with an 18-12 showing in the first period, but Meadville stormed back after being challenged to play with more toughness in the second quarter.
The ’Dogs outscored the Knights (8-9, 4-6) 15-9 in the second stanza as they nabbed three steals, blocked three shots, knocked down six field goals and went 4-for-6 at the line. Hamilton led the way with two stuffs and four points as the halftime score stood at 27 apiece.
Sophomore forward Dillon King netted a turnaround jumper at the foul line to tie it up at the buzzer on a play with three seconds remaining.
In the third, Franklin regained the lead by one as leading scorer Isaiah Jordan notched seven points to keep pace with Meadville. Jordan finished with a game-high 25 markers.
Josh Gregor nailed a three from the left baseline to give the ’Dogs the 53-52 lead with 3:53 on the clock, and Hamilton added to it with a recovery on a Franklin turnover and a layup at the other end of the floor.
Meadville then went to a halfcourt man defensive look and kept Franklin from regaining the lead.
Trinch kept Franklin close enough for the tie with a big 3-pointer on the left wing with 1:09 left.
Ben Peterson finished with 17 to follow Jordan, and Trinch netted 11.
Barba was also in double figures with 11 points for the ’Dogs, who face Farrell at home next week for a shot at half of the Region 5 title.
“I think the kids are growing up a little bit,” Price said. “And who’d have thought it, but we are going to play for a region share on Tuesday night. I know it’s the biggest game since I’ve been back for six years.”
T.J. Turrisi can be reached at 724-6370, ext. 276 or by e-mail at tjturrisi@meadvilletribune.com.
