DELPHI – North Montgomery needed two extra periods to defeat North Newton 49-47 in the semi-final game of the Delphi Kitchen Classic. Junior Ross Dyson scored on a short jumper as time expired in the game to propel the Chargers to today’s championship.
Charger Coach Chad Arnold said the winning shot happened because his team ran the play he drew out during the final timeout. The Chargers had 14 seconds to get the last shot off, and they used it all as Dyson’s winning bucket bounced on the rim twice before falling threw the net.
“The guys ran the play just like we drew it up,” Arnold said. “Ross got a good shot and made it.”
North Newton (6-3) kept battling back in regulation and the overtimes for a chance to win. In both extra periods the Spartans grabbed offensive rebounds and scored to tie the game. The last one came when North Newton’s Michael Levy collected his fourteenth rebound of the game and scored on a put back.
After trailing 22-21 at halftime, North Montgomery (4-4) came out and scored the first 13 points to take a 35-21 lead. However, North Newtown responded after a time out and closed the gap to just two points at 33-31.
With the Chargers leading 43-41 with just :15 left in the game, Levy missed a short jumper but got his rebound to tie the game to send it to the first overtime.
In the second extra period North Montgomery trailed 45-44 until 1:14 on the clock when Charger junior Jarrod Kirsch hit his fifth 3-point basket of the game to put North Montgomery back into the lead at 47-45.
The Chargers got the ball with :14 left in the game with the score tied before Dyson got the winning basket.
North Montgomery was led in scoring by Kirsch’s 19 points. No other Charger scored in double figures.
Levy was a load all night for the Charger defenders. The 6-4 senior scored a game high 28 points.
Arnold complimented Levy after the game.
“(Levy) was a load in the game,” Arnold said. “We really didn’t stop him all night. He is a good player.”
The Chargers will travel to Frankfort for the championship game against the Hot Dogs. The game has been rescheduled to 1 pm. start due to the impending weather prediction.
Arnold said it was nice to win a game even while not playing their best.
“We did not play our best game, but it is good to win a game when you do not play well,” Arnold said. “We are going to need a better effort against Frankfort.
