Skyline boys basketball loses to Jackson after mistakes in final seconds
The Skyline Spartans, in their first post-season game on Feb. 8, kept it close against the Jackson Timberwolves, but ended up succumbing in the last moments of the game to lose 53-50.
The opening quarter demonstrated equal talent on both sides of the ball as the Spartans answered, basket for basket, each shot from the Timberwolves. With impressive offensive teamwork from the Timberwolves’ Ryan Mcferran and Trey Hawkins, Jackson took a slim lead, 10-9, to end the first quarter.
The Timberwolves stayed in the game with consistent baskets in the paint from Colby Cooke as well as drawing fouls on the Spartans to take a 16-13 lead. But the Skyline boys were not discouraged as they added 3-pointers from Eric Lyubarsky and Caleb Johnson and flipped the score, 21-18, in Skyline’s favor. Despite attempts from Hawkins from 3-point land, it was Leo Gorman of Skyline who maintained the lead with a 3-point bucket to end the first half, 26-23, in favor of Skyline.
The second half opened with aggressive play from the Timberwolves as Hawkins and Cooke scored back-to-back buckets for Jackson. Staying in the fight, Johnson responded from 3-point land for the Spartans. With consistent defense on both sides of the court, the third quarter remained low scoring at 37-36 with Skyline barely ahead.
In a bid to rally in the final quarter, Jackson’s Joey Gosline lit up the court with two consecutive dunks to tie the game, 46-46. With increased pressure and frustrations mounting for the Spartans, they ended up committing fouls that sent the Timberwolves to the line to take the lead, 50-49. Putting the final nail in the coffin for Skyline, Mcferran scored the last bucket of the night for Jackson, giving them a victory at 53-50.
