Community Corner
Friends Boys Basketball Team Wins Last-Second Thriller, 54-53
Senior nails shot to help put Quakers over the top.
Showing the no-quit attitude instilled in them by first-year coach Bill Pace, the Friends boys basketball team scored a last second, one-point win over Severn in an MIAA B Conference game at Friends on Friday night.
After a last ditch shot by Severn fell short and well-wide of the hoop, the stunned Admirals team watched in disbelief as Quaker fans poured onto the floor to mob the victors.
With the game tied at 53-all, senior Chris McClenney sank the second of two free throws, after missing the first attempt. The point, scored with 3.5 seconds left on the clock, capped a 19-point comeback and sent a packed Friday Night Basketball crowd home with a win to savor during the long off season.
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“I thought, we need to win this game and I need to hit this free throw,” McClenney said after the game. “I missed the first one, I really focused in on the second one and thought, ‘I’m gonna hit this’ and I hit it and it went in.”
After close first half play that saw the Quakers down by six, the team quickly fell behind by 19 points midway through the third quarter.
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Coach Pace called a time out, made some defensive adjustments, and the comeback was underway.
“Coach gave us some adjustments that we needed to do on defense, make sure that we trap the ball,” McClenney said. “That kept the other team on their toes offensively and I think that really benefitted in terms of our defense as a whole in the second half,” the Ellicott City resident said.
“Everything came together mentally, we started focusing on our objective,” McClenney said. “We relaxed a little bit more, made sure we hit the shots we needed to, we played the defense and the rest was taken care of.”
Playing in his final game for Friends, senior Jon Schmidt capped an outstanding four-years with a 27 point effort. The 6' 7" player topped the 1,000-point mark earlier this year, becoming the 11th player to reach that career landmark for the school.
Schmidt, McClenney and the rest of the team’s seniors had a Seniors’ Night celebration before the game began. Upon reflection after the contest, “It was an excellent way to end my high school season and basketball career at Friends School,” McClenney said.
“It felt great,” a jubilant Schmidt said.