EHS slips by Salem PDF Print E-mail
    Trey Albertson hit a jumper from two point territory Saturday night leading his Eastern Musketeers 70-68 past the visiting Salem Lions in a game that had meaning on several levels. Not only was it a Washington County rivalry game, a match up that Eastern coach Scott Newcomb said “was a typical Eastern-Salem game,” but it was a Mid Southern Conference (MSC) match up.
    And it was not without some intense moments. Players fouled out of the game from both sides, and Salem coach Hank Weedin apparently called a time out before time expired. Since the clock had gone to: 00 before the officials stopped play, a single second was put back on the clock.
    The Lions had to throw the ball inbounds from the baseline, so they attempted a long pass to another Salem player from the top of the key. A player from Eastern caught the long pass, and time expired without Salem getting a shot off.
    The Musketeers almost didn’t give themselves a chance to even win the game, as they missed five free throws in the final quarter.
    That didn’t go unnoticed by Newcomb, who duly noted that “that’s something we’ve been doing pretty well, late in games. Tonight, we didn’t finish it. I’m glad it didn’t come back and bite us.”
    Salem scored two straight buckets to open the final period, and got within 52-50 of the Musketeers. Eastern’s trey Albertson did hit two free throw attempts right after the Salem baskets, and after the Lions took a time out (6:58), Trey Albertson hit two more charity tosses at the 6:33 mark. Eastern led 56-50 at that point.
    Salem was fouled (5:52) and Robert Baker hit two from the line, only to be matched by Todd Albertson’s deuce a few seconds later. With Salem leading at six (58-52), Baker hit two more from the line to get Salem within four (58-54).
    Todd Albertson hit a pair of free throws thereafter, and Salem called another time out.
    Eastern’s Spencer Gilstrap fouled out at the 4:29 mark and sent Salem’s Nate Busick to the line. Busick canned both tries, and cut the Musketeers’ lead to 60-56.
    Then the free throw troubles started for Eastern, with Todd Albertson hitting just one of four tries over the next minute. In between Todd Albertson’s two trips to the line, team mate Trey Albertson connected on a basket to keep the hosts out in front 62-56.
    After Baker scored a lay up off of a fast break for the Lions (2:29), Eastern’s Paul Hensley also had trouble at the line, hitting the second of a pair of freebies, keeping the Musketeers’ lead alive (64-58), but barely.
    Since rivalries usually bring out the most aggressive play in a team late in a game, Salem’s Zach Bowling found his way to the bench with his fifth foul , setting up the two free throw attempts by Hensley.
    Salem hit a bucket seconds later, and then hit one of two free throws just a few seconds later, cutting the Eastern advantage to 64-61.
    Eastern proceeded to miss their next field goal attempt, and Ian Bowling scored from the field for the Lions (1:36), getting them within one (64-63).
    Hensley then had a big one for the hosts, when he connected (1:20) on an old fashioned three point play. Salem’s Busick picked up his third personal in the process.
    Busick then scored in the lane on a turnaround move getting the Lions to within 67-65, and the lions called a full time out (:51.7).
    After a few more free throws, Baker hit two free throws for the Lions with 17.1 seconds left to tie up the game at 68-68.
    Eastern called a full time out with 12 seconds showing, and set up a final play, when Trey Albertson then managed to break free for a bucket with a second left.
    Salem coach Hank Weedin called the game “a tough loss on a last second shot.”
    Weedin said that his team has had trouble in finishing off close games, and doesn’t have a go to shooter that can take over a close game.
    “We’re within striking distance,” he explained, “We’ve just got to seal the deal.”
    Weedin said that he and the coaching staff challenged the team in the hours before the game, and that they responded positively.
    “Tonight, we made significant strides,” said Weedin.
    For his part, Newcomb was happy with the way the team played as a unit. “It as a good team win,” he said. “I thought our kids played hard, and played with a lot of emotion. Overall, I thought we played pretty well.”
    Both teams had plenty of balanced scoring, with Eastern getting double figure scoring from four players, and Salem getting double figures from three.
    For Eastern (11-4 overall, 5-2 MSC) Paul Hensley (23), Michael Doebler (18), Trey Albertson (12), and Todd Albertson (10) all were in double figures, and for Salem (4-9 overall, 2-4 MSC), Robert Baker (18), Ian Bowling (13), and Nate Busick (13) were in doubles.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 03 February 2010 14:17 )