Ben’s Ford Christian School struggled from the free-throw line in a 48-44 loss to Central Private School at home Tuesday.
“We handled the press pretty well. We’re a young team. We rebounded. They eventually got out of it. They got a couple of steals off of it. They didn’t score many points though, but at the end of the day, we went 6-for-21 from the free-throw line and you can’t win games like that,” Ben’s Ford Christian School coach Landon Tims said.
The Eagles did a good job throughout the game, but the struggles from the charity stripe were the key.
“Other than the free throws, we went inside, we got their team in foul trouble, but it doesn’t really help you much when the other team’s in foul trouble and you can’t step to the line and make the shots you need to make,” Tims said.
Ben’s Ford took a 23-15 halftime lead after scoring seven straight before Central Private hit a bucket before the break.
The first five points came on one series. Jarvis Dawson hit a shot and got fouled. He missed the free throw, but the Eagles grabbed the offensive rebound that led to Dalton Crain nailing a 3-pointer to make it a 21-13 lead with 2:18 left.
Tyler Winstead connected with Dawson for two more to extend the lead to 10 at the 1:33 mark.
Dawson had a big game, going for 25 points, nine rebounds, six steals, two assists and a blocked shot. He recorded three 3-pointers.
Central Private’s Parker Toural hit a field goal with seven seconds to go, trimming the lead to the 23-15 halftime score.
Ben’s Ford struggled at the outset of the second half, as Central Private began on a 10-0 run.
Logan Paul hit a 3-pointer. Toural was good on two free throws to make it 23-20. Toural then hit for two more with 6:37 left. Paul knocked down a right-corner 3-pointer, giving Central Private a 25-23 lead at the 5:45 mark. It was Central Private’s first lead since 6-5 with 3:49 left in the first quarter.
Crain hit a shot and got fouled to end the run. He missed the free throw, but had tied the game at 25-25. Crain gave the Eagles the lead back when he hit a 3-pointer after taking a pass from Winstead.
After Central Private tied things at 28-28 on Jace Pendarvis’ 3-pointer, Dawson scored five straight on a top of the key 3-pointer and an inside shot to make it 33-28 with 2:30 left in the third.
Central Private came back and evened the game at 34-34 through three quarters.
Alston Moore hit a layup for Ben’s Ford 1:25 into the fourth quarter for a 36-34 lead, but Central Private took the lead for good on Moose Monson’s 3-point play, making it 37-36. That began an 8-0 run. Monson grabbed an offensive rebound and hit for two and Pendarvis drove for a layup to make it 41-36 with 4:45 left.
A jump ball, followed by a double technical gave each team a pair of free throws.
Monson and Crain attempted the free throws for their respective teams. Each split the attempts with Monson going first. It was 42-37 with 3:33 on the clock.
The Eagles had the arrow, so they got possession and Dawson got inside for two more, trimming the lead to three, but could get no closer, as the lead was between three and five for the rest of the game in the 48-44 loss.
Crain posted nine points and hit two 3-pointers, grabbed four boards, dished out an assist and made a steal.
Tucker Keating posted five points, five boards, an assist, two steals and a blocked shot.
Isaac Wascom tallied three points on a 3-pointer and had a rebound, an assist and three steals.
Moore posted two points, a pair of rebounds and a steal.
Winstead pulled down six rebounds, dished out two assists, made a steal and blocked two shots while A.J. Exkano had three boards and an assist.
Pendarvis led Central Private with 13 points that included a 3-pointer.
Monson posted 10 points.
Paul totaled eight points and hit two threes while Toural and Braxton Shows recorded six points each, Jacob Dale had three.
Ben’s Ford was 2-2 going into yesterday’s game.
In previous Ben’s Ford action, Ben’s Ford defeated Wilkinson County Christian Academy, 53-44, in the opener on Nov. 1 at home.
Crain posted 15 points, three rebounds and an assist.
Dawson missed a double-double by just two rebounds after having 13 points and eight boards.
Keating had seven points, five rebounds, two assists and he made seven steals.
Winstead stuffed the stat sheet with six points, 12 boards, two assists, four steals and he blocked a shot.
Exkano posted five points, two rebounds and an assist.
Justin Moore and John Robert Holston recorded three points and two boards each.
Wascom had a point.
Alston Moore grabbed three rebounds, dished out three assists, made a steal and blocked a shot while Chase Penton had an assist, a steal and he blocked a shot.
The Eagles went to 2-0 the following day with a 51-45 victory over Discovery Christian School on the road.
Dawson had another big game with 18 points and 12 rebounds to go with three steals and he blocked two shots.
Winstead also posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds along with two assists and a steal.
Crain totaled nine points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Keating posted six points, two boards, an assist and a steal.
Alston Moore tallied two points and a pair of rebounds.
Exkano had a point, two boards, three assists and a steal.
Penton added a rebound in the win.
On Monday, Ben’s Ford lost to Wilkinson County Christian Academy, 50-35, on the road.
Keating nearly hit a double-double after posting 10 points and eight steals along with five rebounds, an assist and he blocked a shot.
Crain recorded 10 points, seven boards, five steals, an assist and a steal.
Holston had seven points, four boards and a steal.
Exkano tallied two points, five rebounds and two assists.
Justin Moore posted two rebounds and a steal while Penton had a board and an assist.