By Bill Bray
Junior Carter Rodriguez (10) led Ross with 20 points on the night.
St. Francis’ Elvis Syroka shot a long ball as the buzzer sounded but it was three points too late, as Rodriguez’s foul shots kept Ross on top for the TRAC win.
The contest was nip and tuck the entire game. The first quarter showed the score 12-11 in favor of the Giants. Ross led at the break 28-25. At the end of three quarters Ross still clung to a one-point lead at 42-41.
It was probably the most complete game the Giants have played all season and when the pressure was on, Fremont handled it like champions.
Ayden Carter applies defense during first half action.
Rodriguez was the player of the game for Ross. He sank a three-ball every time the Giants needed it. One in each of the four quarters to be exact. He ended as the game’s leading scorer with 20 points.
“I thought we executed pretty well offensively at times,” coach John Cahill said after his second TRAC win of the season. “They want to be methodical and slow, and they are bigger than we are, and I thought we shot better tonight. We still made some mistakes, but with Kaden (Holmes) being out and Ayden (Carter) in foul trouble, I thought we showed a lot of guts.”
Jaedyn Bulger brings in a rebound during first half action Friday night at St. Francis.
In the games’ stats the Giants (3-3, 2-1) were much improved at the charity stripe hitting on 13 of 15. They hit on five from beyond the arc. After Rodriguez’s four, Ayden Carter had the fifth ‘three’ in the first quarter.
After Rodriguez’s 20 points, Carter contributed with 14 and Kurt Harrison added 12, getting some nice feeds from teammates for easy buckets.
The Giants host St. John’s Tuesday night. The game will be the last basketball game to be played in the “Purple Pit” there are some pregame ceremonies planned.
Senior Kurt Harrison (30) goes up for an easy two points during first half action.
Then Wednesday night the last event will take place at the “Pit” when the wrestling team has their final match there against Bellevue starting at 5:30pm.
Anthony Vann 1 0 2 2
Bryson Hammer 0 0 1 1
LeBronze Barnett 2 0 0 4
Carter Rodriguez 1 4 6 20
Jaedyn Bulger 1 0 0 2
Adam Hrynciw 0 0 1 1
Ayden Carter 4 1 3 14
Kurt Harrison 5 0 2 12