After leading for the majority of the game, the Manchester Academy Mavericks fell behind for the first time with twenty seconds remaining on the clock in Monday night's clash with Canton Academy.
On their next two possessions, Jon Parker Dees was fouled but only sank 2-of-4 free throws, giving the Mavs the lead, 49-48 with 6.6 seconds left. With a foul to give, the Mavericks fouled almost immediately on Canton's ensuing possession. Clinging to a one-point lead, Maverick guard Jake White inauspiciously fouled a Canton ball handler with 1.9 seconds remaining. The Panther stepped to the free throw stripe and calmly sank both free throws and the collective hearts of the MA faithful to propel Canton to a 50-49 come-from-behind victory.
Manchester opened the contest on a 12-0 run that wasn't stopped until a Panther player hit a free throw around the two minute mark of the opening frame. Three Archer Choate three pointers paced the Mavericks first quarter scoring, and MA led 18-4 after one.
Choate continued having the hot hand in the second quarter, sinking two more baskets before the visiting Panthers began to heat up. Manchester led by 12, 28-16, at the half, but the fireworks were just about to begin.
The Panthers continued to chip away at the Maverick lead, narrowing the lead to seven, 34-27 at the 3:41 mark of the third quarter. Manchester led by six points, 39-33 heading into the final frame.
Adam Edgar, Choate, and Jake White paced Manchester with 16, 15, and 12 points respectively. Other scorers were Dees and Brendan Thrasher.
The loss to Canton was the second devastating loss in a row for the Mavs who just suffered a 48-42 overtime loss to Washington Academy.
Choate was the high-man this time with 21 points, followed by White with 10. Dees added five, Edgar, four, and Dawson Kilpatrick, two.
