It was a game filled with injuries, illness, and foul trouble, but in Friday night’s boys basketball consolation game at the Rivertown Classic, one thing was clear.
Pacer senior Trevor Smith was simply not going to allow his team to lose.
The guard scored 25 points on Friday night to bring his teammates from behind to claim a 60-48 victory over the Rising Sun Shiners.
With senior Alex Curran not playing due to a knee injury and reserve Justus Powell at home ill, Friday night’s game with the rival Shiners was going to hinge on key Pacer players staying on the court and off of the bench – but that didn’t happen, as starters Clint Swanson, Austin Clark, and Chase Ritch all ended up on coach B.J. McAlister’s bench in the second quarter as the Switzerland County reserves played crucial minutes.
But Trevor Smith simply was not going to allow his team to lose.
The first quarter opened with Chase Ritch hitting a three pointer and Trevor Smith converting a freethrow to give the Pacers a quick 4-0 lead.
Rising Sun responded with a basket by Nathan Hannan, a freethrow Ryan Dugan, and a three pointer by Jeremy Cravens to take a 6-4 advantage.
The Pacers then got a pair of freethrows by Austin Clark to tie the contest; but the Shiner offense went back to work, getting a three point play from Nathan Hannan, a basket from Jeremy Cravens, and two freethrows from Ryan Dugan to race out to a 13-6 lead.
Chase Ritch’s jumper stopped the run, but Cody Beckett came right back with two more freethrows to keep the lead at seven.
A last minute jumper from Clint Swanson made the score 15-10 in favor of Rising Sun after one quarter of play.
The second quarter was all Trevor Smith, as the senior guard would score all 12 points that Switzerland County would have in the period – and with the Shiners only managing nine points, Trevor Smith actually closed the gap while three starters were on the bench with foul trouble.
Trevor Smith started the quarter with a three point play that closed the gap to two; but Rising Sun got two freethrows from Brandon Turner, a basket from Nathan Hannan, a bucket by Cody Beckett and a three pointer by Nathan Hannan to move out to a 24-13 lead with 5:25 to go in the half.
But those would be the final points that the Shiners would score in the half, and as Rising Sun would more than five minutes without a point; Trevor Smith was providing plenty.
He started with a three pointer and followed that with a pair of freethrows. He then closed the half with two straight baskets, and the halftime horn sounded with the Pacers down by just two, 24-22.
With a full complement of Pacers available as the second half got underway, Switzerland County got off the mark early when Austin Clark scored inside to tie the game at 24-24.
Rising Sun got a freethrow from Cody Beckett and two charities from Nathan Hannan to sneak back out to a three point lead; and after Braden Burk made a freethrow, a three pointer from Nathan Hannan pushed the Shiners back out to a 30-25 advantage.
The Pacers got four straight points on baskets by Braden Burk and T.J. White; and after Jeremy Cravens scored for Rising Sun, Braden Burk connected on another jumper to keep the Pacer deficit at just one.
Ryan Dugan scored in the paint for the Shiners, and with 3:26 to go in the period, a three-pointer by Braden Burk tied the game once again, this time at 34-34.
Cody Beckett gave the Shiners the lead; but Bob Tressler powered his way to the bucket for a deuce and Trevor Smith made a three pointer to give Switzerland County a three point lead. Ryan Dugan cut into that, and at the end of the third quarter Switzerland County held a 39-38 advantage.
As the final quarter got underway, Ryan Dugan again scored inside to give Rising Sun a 40-39 lead – but that would be the final time that the Shiners would hold an advantage.
Switzerland County would then reel off six straight points on a basket by T.J. White, a three pointer by Trevor Smith, and a freethrow from Austin Clark; but Rising Sun would get back within a point on baskets by Ryan Dugan and Jeremy Cravens.
T.J. White scored again to provide some breathing room, and Austin Clark followed that moments later with a three pointer to make the lead six.
Ryan Dugan hit a freethrow, but Austin Clark again powered to the hoop for another bucket, and with 2:21 to play the Pacers found themselves up by seven.
After Jeremy Cravens missed a pair of freethrows for the Shiners, Trevor Smith made the lead nine with a power move through the lane. Jeremy Cravens then converted a three point play to keep Rising Sun in the game, but Switzerland County would close out the game from there.
While Rising Sun didn’t score in the game’s final 1:21, Switzerland County got a basket from Austin Clark and four freethrows from Trevor Smith to claim the win by a final count of 60-48.
Trevor Smith’s outstanding effort resulted in 25 points in the contest as well as 10 rebounds. Austin Clark had 10 of his 12 points in the second half to finish in double figures – and the efforts of both players earned them spots on the All Tournament team.
Braden Burk had some key buckets to add eight points in the game; and T.J White had a solid tournament, finishing with six points. Chase Ritch had five points; and Clint Swanson and Bob Tressler each had two points.
Nathan Hannan led the Shiners with 15 points; while Ryan Dugan and Jeremy Cravens each were in double figures with 12 each.