12-03-13
BY JACK BULLOCK
COBDEN – The simple execution of basketball fundamentals usually can produce good results.

But in the case of the Cobden Appleknockers on Tuesday night, it was a lack there of.

Coach Rhett Barke’s team headed into its first home game of the season surrounded by fans who witnessed a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Cobden boy’s basketball team that reached the state championship game.

The hosts had every chance to rally for a win but failed to hit free throws in the fourth quarter.

This failure at the foul line stymied any chance at picking up a late heroic win.

Cobden was only 12-of-23 from the stripe, including seven misfires in the final quarter.

This kept the Appleknockers from setting up their press, which hurt the cause.

The end result was a 70-56 loss to Vienna on Tuesday night that dropped Cobden to 2-2 on the season.

Head coach Cory Waters witnessed his Eagles’ club actually improved its foul shooting after a tough beginning of the season as they went 1-3 in their own tournament last week.

“We knew we were going to get Cobden’s best (effort) tonight. They were inspired and we knew we would have to come out and battle tonight,” said Coach Waters. “We took a few ill-advised shots but it’s always a good shot when you knock it down, right?”

The Eagles, who struggled from the foul line at home, hit 15-of-21 overall and 9-of-12 in the fourth quarter on the road Tuesday night.

Vienna got some timely shots from the perimeter and forced the Appleknockers into 19-turnovers.

The Eagles were led in scoring by 5-foot-10 sophomore Zachryn Moore with 20-points while Nathan Gearing added 14.

Five-foot-eleven junior guard Quinnton Bent dropped in 13 second half points, including three backbreaking 3-point bombs.

Vienna shot the ball well on the night hitting 24-of-51 overall.

However the Eagles were on fire from beyond the arc, nailing 9-of-12 attempts.

Coach Waters’ squad used a 13-2 run in the third quarter to take back the lead for good and then pulled away in the final countdown.

“They made some 3’s when they had the open looks and they hit their free throws. I don’t think they missed a three pointer in the second half,” said Coach Barke. “We didn’t make our free throws and we missed a lot of lay ups. That combination isn’t going to result in many wins.”

The crucial turning point in the contest happened with just minutes gone in the fourth.

Cobden had an opportunity to take back control of the game.

Trailing 49-43, the Appleknockers had three chances at the foul line.

The end result was just 1-of-5 converted tosses.

Just :18 after Zach Moore hit the final one of the free throws, Bent hit the first of two consecutive 3-point shots.

He nailed another one just one possession later, which turned a five-point lead into a 55-44 spread.

The Appleknockers would get no closer than seven points the rest of the game.

There were some bright spots for Cobden.

Moore led the Appleknockers with 18-points while Austin and Parker Flamm each added 14 and 12.

Trailing 14-7 with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter, Moore connected from downtown on consecutive trips and Austin Flamm converted a conventional three-point play for a 16-14 Cobden lead at the end of one.

Austin scored five points in the second quarter while Moore and Keagan Tripp each hit free throws for a 28-25 halftime edge.

The Appleknockers went cold in the third quarter and that was just the opportunity that the visitors were waiting for.

With Bent and Gearing both dialing it up from long distance and the Eagles crashing the offensive boards (five rebounds) including a put back by Wyatt Robinson in the final minute, Vienna found itself leading at the end of three quarters of play, 44-37.

Cobden, again, had chances late in the game as Vienna committed seven of their 17-turnovers in the final period.

However the Eagles converted 7-of-9 shots from the floor and closed out the match up by nailing 9-of-10 from the foul line in the final 1:34.

“That (free throw shooting) was a big improvement on what we started the year. We shot 28 percent from the foul line the first two games. The last three games we made a huge improvement. I think it was the boys just getting it in their head to get a rhythm and knocking down the shots,” added Coach Waters. “I thought they did a great job stepping up in pressure situations. These guys have grown a lot.”

Vienna hit 47 percent from the field overall but the 75 percent from deep is what kept the Appleknockers at bay.

Cobden was 20-of-47 (42.5 percent) from the floor and just 4-of-12 from beyond the arc.

Vienna held a 32-24 advantage on the boards.

The Eagles will hit the road next Tuesday for a game at Egyptian while Cobden heads back into action at Century on Friday.

“That (free throws missed) cost us because we couldn’t set up the press. In order to win games like this you have to make those shots,” added Coach Barke. “We got some steals and got some open looks. We just didn’t knock them down.”

Vienna (70) – Crain 0 0 4-4 4, Krelo 0 0 2-2 2, Wright 1 0 2-2 4, Lowery 0 0 2-4 2, Wiggs 0 2 1-1 5, Gearing 1 4 0-0 14, Bent 1 3 2-2 13, Robinson 3 0 0-0 6, Moore 9 0 2-6 20. 2FG-15, 3FG-9, FT-15-21, PF-16.
Cobden (56) – JT Moore 2 0 0-1 2, Z. Moore 1 4 4-6 18, Cohen 0 0 0-0 0, P. Flamm 5 0 2-4 12, A. Flamm 5 0 4-10 14, T. Lewey 2 0 0-0 4. 2FG-16, 3FG-4, FT-12-23, PF-17.
Fouled Out – Gearing - Vienna.
Technical Fouls – None.