The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

No. 5 Huskies overcome 10-point deficit in third quarter to pull out first AMAC victory
* Northern Garrett coach Elliott: 'We needed this'
* Fort Hill coach Rice: '24 turnovers ... they add up'
* D'Atri's long-range 3-point attempt clangs off rim at buzzer

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Jan. 10 -- Fort Hill boys basketball coach Glenn Rice said it was "disappointing" when, with a 10-point lead with about three minutes left in the third quarter, the Sentinels couldn't close out a win against visiting Northern Garrett.

In so many ways, the Huskies know exactly how Rice feels. In two games against Keyser and Southern Garrett last week, No. 5 Northern Garrett either held a lead most of the game - and lost - or trailed but rallied late, only to come up a few points short.

On Monday, the Huskies finally earned their first Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference win against No. 7 Fort Hill, 67-64. Northern Garrett improved to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The Sentinels fell to 5-5 overall and 2-3 in the AMAC.

"We needed this," said Huskies coach Christopher Elliott, whose senior-laden team has state title aspirations.

Northern Garrett seemed to have it early. At halftime, the visiting team led 28-25. The Huskies had trailed 15-14 after one quarter of play and 21-18 just two minutes into the second period.

But Cody Humberson drove inside for two points with 5:35 to go in the second quarter and Steven Holtschneider's basket 93 seconds later gave the Huskies a 22-21 lead.

After Fort Hill field goals by Michael Crabtree and Will Harris returned the lead to the Sentinels, Northern Garrett closed out the first half with a 6-0 run. Senior Matt Gibson had four of those points and Austin Doerr hit two free throws.

Then something happened. Fort Hill returned to its outside-shooting ways. The Sentinels went on a 20-9 run to open the third quarter and hit six 3-pointers during that stretch, including three by Mark Kelly and two by Garrett D'Atri.

Rice said that five-minute stretch took its toll. In hindsight, Rice said his players "don't always know when to stop and pass the ball on offense."

With 3:02 left in the third quarter - not quite five minutes since a 10-minute break at halftime - Elliott called timeout to refocus his team. Gibson said Elliott told the team to start making its free throws and play better defense.

"It was a good timeout," said Holtschneider, rather tongue-in-cheek regarding his coach's reaction to Fort Hill's rally. "We seem to play better when we're behind."

Elliott had to wait only a few more minutes for proof of Holtschneider's perception. Northern Garrett outscored Fort Hill 9-8 the rest of the third quarter to pull within 50-46.

Then it was the Huskies' turn to visit 3-point land. Humberson made three of four three throws in the opening 61 seconds - sandwiched around two of 15 points by the Sentinels' Brandon Remson - to pull within 52-49. After Harris's bucket with 6:52 to play gave Fort Hill a 54-49 lead, the Huskies went on an 11-3 run to take a 60-57 lead.

Holtschneider hit a 3-pointer to pull within 54-52 and Gibson hit one of his three 3-pointers to give Northern Garrett a 55-54 lead. D'Atri missed a 3-point attempt for Fort Hill but Remson had the putback for two points, drew a foul and completed the three-point play by draining the foul shot with 6:09 to go. Fort Hill led, 57-55.

Then Holtschneider struck again from 3-point range, giving the Huskies the lead for good with 5:58 to play. After a Northern Garrett timeout, Tyler Wilt tipped a Fort Hill pass for the steal and dished the ball off to Garrett Rayner for a 60-57 lead. Rayner then hit two free throws to put the Huskies up 62-58, Gibson hit two free throws and, with 45.6 seconds to go, Holtschneider hit two more foul shots for a 66-60 lead.

D'Atri hit a mid-range jumper with 38 seconds to play to pull the Sentinels within 66-62. Wilt missed two free throws for the Huskies. On the other end of the court, Jordan Rowe made both his foul shots as Fort Hill trailed just 66-64 with 13.7 seconds to go.

One second later, Wilt redeemed himself - a bit - by hitting the second of two free throws for a 67-64 lead. D'Atri launched a long-range 3-point but it clanged off the rim at the buzzer.

Rice said it was appropriate to give credit to Northern Garrett. But he felt the Sentinels lost a good opportunity for a win headed into Friday's home matchup with Allegany.

"We got 'em where we wanted 'em," Rice said of the 10-point lead with 3:07 to go in the third quarter. Up by that much at that point in the game, "you shouldn't lose."