Flashes deal Blue Devils first loss

By BRYAN GASKINS
Tribune sportswriter

December 30, 2008 11:53 pm

— NEW CASTLE — Tipton chased Franklin Central throughout the second half and into overtime before backup guard Jake Hoffman drilled a corner 3-pointer with 14 seconds remaining in the extra session to put the Blue Devils up 41-40, their first lead since 15-14 in the second quarter.
The Flashes answered in a flash.
Kyle James tore down an open lane for a layup with three seconds remaining to put Franklin Central back in the lead, Casey Coons added a free throw at :01.8 and the Flashes emerged with a 43-41 win in the championship game of the City Securities Hall of Fame Classic boys basketball tournament Tuesday night at New Castle Fieldhouse.
“We were very fortunate to win,” FC coach Mark James said. “The [Derek] Elston kid is a great player and I thought Tipton played very smart, played very good basketball. It just came down to a possession. We told the kids it was going to be a possession game and that’s the way it came down to in the end.
“I thought both teams played extremely hard. I thought everyone got their money’s worth.”
The Class 4A No. 8-ranked Flashes improved to 9-1 while the Class 2A No. 1 Blue Devils dropped to 8-1.
“I’m really proud of our guys’ effort. It was a long day and a tough day and Franklin Central is obviously a quality opponent,” Tipton coach Travis Daugherty said. “Early in the game, we didn’t execute very well and part of that is on me. I didn’t come up with the stuff we needed as early as I should have. But the guys fought to the end. I'm proud of them.”
Both teams offered intense defensive approaches, giving the game a postseason-like intensity. The Flashes led 12-10 after the opening quarter, 19-15 at halftime and 30-24 after three quarters. The Blue Devils outscored the Flashes 13-7 in the fourth quarter to knot the score at 37-all. Elston and Luke Overdorf combined for 10 points to spark the Devils’ rally. Elston hit two pressure-packed free throws with 2.5 seconds remaining to force the overtime.
The Flashes took a quick lead in the extra session, but the Devils stayed within striking distance and seemed ready to steal the win when Hoffman took a Greg Dickey pass and drilled his go-ahead 3-pointer with 14 seconds remaining.
Kyle James answered on the other end.
“We were trying to run a secondary break play and it just busted,” Mark James explained. “He was fortunate enough to take the ball to the basket. We tell the kids all the time, ‘Control the things you can and … someone has to make a play. We don’t care who it is. Faceless and nameless, just so you’re wearing a blue jersey, someone make a play.’ We fell into one.”
Following a timeout, Tipton turned the ball over when a long pass sailed out of bounds at the opposite end of the floor. After Coons split a pair of free throws with 1.8 seconds left, Hoffman missed a desperation 3-pointer from three-quarters court.
Coons finished with 11 points to lead the Flashes, who had four other players score at least six points.
Elston finished with a game-high 16 points. Overdorf added 10 points in a nice performance off the bench that included 5 of 6 shooting from the field. The Blue Devils otherwise had a cold night from the field. Elston and Kyle Coleman each grabbed six rebounds to lead the Devils to a 26-25 advantage on the boards.
“This was a good opportunity for us to prepare for the postseason,” Daugherty said. “We certainly wanted to win [Tuesday], but there is a lot we can take from this day and hopefully it’s going to benefit us down the road.”
Elston was named the tournament MVP and Dickey joined him on the all-tourney team. Franklin Central players Patrick Bade and Jordan Weidner, Bluffton’s Brock Woodward and Lafayette Jeff’s Roddy Richardson also made the team.
Elston and Bade brought starpower to the game. Elston is an Indiana recruit and Bade is a Purdue recruit. They battled in the paint throughout the game.
“They are two really good players,” Daugherty said. “The game was so physical, we probably weren’t able to totally showcase all that they are capable of, but the calls were consistent both ways and both guys did a great job of battling one another and that’s probably something you’re going to see for four more years.”
Class 2A No. 2-ranked Bluffton beat Lafayette Jeff 61-43 in the consolation game. Jeff played without leading scorer Jesse Berry and generally looked disinterested. Berry, who is suspended, did not play in either of the Bronchos’ games in the tourney.