Hampshire loses shot at undefeated BN-East crown
Hampshire missed a chance to tie Richmond-Burton when a shot at the buzzer clanged off the rim. But the fact that the Whip-Purs even had a chance to tie was pretty amazing given that they trailed by 13 points with less than 3 minutes to play.
The Whips went on a 10-0 run in the closing minutes, but the Rockets made enough free throws to hang on for a 43-40 Big Northern East boys basketball victory in Hampshire Monday.
The loss ruined Hampshire's chance for a rare trifecta: undefeated conference seasons in football, boys basketball and girls basketball. Instead, the Whips (17-7, 9-1) settled for a tie atop the BN-East with the Rockets, who can claim their share of the title with a win at Burlington Central Friday night.
James Goebbert lead Hampshire with 12 points. Will Bush and Shyler Ralphs scored 10 apiece.
Trailing 40-27, the Whips hit the Rockets with full-court pressure. Goebbert started the rally with a jumper, then came up with a steal that led to 2 free throws. Another Goebbert steal set up a jumper by Bush.
Goebbert then blocked a shot by Ken Riordan, who was assessed a technical foul. Justin Bieber made both free throws and Ralphs added a jumper on the ensuing possession, making it 40-37. Riordan made 2 free throws but Ralphs answered with a 3-pointer to make it 42-40.
Riordan (15 points) then made 1 of 2 free throws, giving the Whip-Purs a final chance. But Kozenczak's off-balance shot at the buzzer bounced off the rim.
Richmond took control with a 13-0 run to start the second quarter. The Rockets used their size advantage to full effect. They grabbed 9 offensive rebounds in the second quarter alone and 11 points during the decisive run were of the second-chance variety.
"They did a great job defensively, they crashed the boards real well, so I can't give them enough credit," said Hampshire coach Bob Barnett. "But at the same time, somebody's got to go get a rebound. And everybody's just looking at each other trying to say, 'Well, you didn't get it, you didn't get it.' Well, somebody go get the thing."
Although Hampshire had a slight edge in the fourth quarter, Richmond (16-9, 8-1) outrebounded the hosts, 31-20, led by Kyle Wismer with 10.
"We forced them to do some things I don't think they were comfortable doing," said Rockets' coach Chris Nolen. "But our kids, for the most part, they did exactly what I wanted to do. In the second quarter we got a little separation, and that's how we were able to control what we wanted to do at the end of the game."
Nolen said the key was keeping Bieber in check. The junior guard scored his only 2 points of the night on the technical free throws.