Mike McGraw
Hoosier Authority
The first
game at Franklin Central Wednesday featured two Mid-State Conference teams very
familiar with each other. Franklin and Greenwood squared off in a rematch of an
overtime game won by the Grizzly Cubs in the regular season.
Franklin
scored a total of two field goals in the entire first half of this contest.
That is not the astounding fact. The remarkable fact is the Cubs were still in
the game. Thanks to enough trips to the charity stripe to sink ten free throws,
Franklin trailed only 18-15 at the half. Both teams had displayed stingy
halfcourt defenses in the opening two periods.
The opening
minutes of the third quarter made one wonder if he was watching the same
squads. Franklin took just three minutes to connect three times from the field
and Greenwood matched them bucket for bucket. That set up the key stretch of
the contest. Greenwood’s defense stiffened once again and the Woodmen had eight
opportunities to increase the margin past five points bridging the final
minutes of the third quarter and the opening seconds of the fourth. They scored
a grand total of one point in that span.
The lost
opportunity to put the contest away set the stage for a dramatic finish.
Franklin cut the advantage to three, 33-30 with just over three minutes to
play. The Grizzly Cubs closed to within two at 38-36 with 1:25 to play.
Greenwood hit one of two from the line in the next minute and Franklin scored
but failed to convert on a three point play opportunity and the score stood
39-38 with ten seconds to play. The Woodmen hung on by dropping two charity
tosses and forcing a desperation three point attempt at the buzzer that was not
close.
The verdict
sets up a semi-final match between southside neighbors Greenwood and Southport
on Friday night.
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