UNDER PRESSURE … Max Leppelmeier handles the ball in the first half with Stryker’s Kaleb Holsopple applying pressure. (PHOTO BY RICH HARDING, STAFF)
By: Nate Calvin
PETTISVILLE-Max Leppelmeier nailed a triple from the left corner with 1.5 seconds remaining to force overtime where the Blackbirds pulled away for the win.
Pettisville started the game fast by jumping to a 7-0 lead with 4:33 left in the first quarter, forcing a Stryker timeout.
The lead would grow to 14-6 before the Panthers put together a 7-0 run, capped off by a layup from Brandon Bowers to trim the lead to 14-13. The Blackbirds bounced back with six unanswered points to take a 20-15 lead to the lockerroom.
Stryker quickly erased the halftime deficit with 6-0 spurt to start the third quarter to take a 21-20 lead.
After Pettisville took a 30-24 lead, the Panthers would close the third quarter on a 11-2 run aided by triples from Kaleb Holsopple and Jacob Cadwell to surge to a 35-32 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Stryker (1-3, 1-2 in BBC) continued to build their lead with a 7-2 run to open the fourth to take their largest lead of the night at 42-34.
Pettisville would battle back with buckets from Leppelmeier, Cayden Jacoby, and Josh Horning to cut the Stryker advantage to 44-42.
The Stryker lead was 47-44 with 9.3 seconds to go before Leppelmeier, following a Pettisville timeout, would knock down a three-pointer from the corner to tie the score and force overtime.
The Blackbirds dominated the extra session starting with two field goals by Jacoby and Leppelmeier went 5/6 from the charity stripe to close out the win.
The Panthers struggled from the foul line down the stretch going 6/13 in the fourth and were 9/18 on the night.
Pettisville (4-1, 3-0) ended the game with three players in double figures led by Jacoby with 17 points and 13 rebounds, Leppelmeier had 15 points, five assists, and Horning added 12 points, eight rebounds.
Holsopple was the lone Panther in double digits with 15 points, 13 of those in the second half.
Stryker 6 9 20 12 2 49
Pettisville 11 9 12 15 9 56
Nate can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com