CARDINGTON — To win the outright Knox Morrow Athletic Conference championship on Friday night, the Fredericktown boys basketball team had to do something no one else has done this season.
Win at Cardington.
The Freddies did exactly that. Fredericktown took control early, but had to hang on late to upend Cardington 77-71.
The Fredddies built a seven point lead by the end of the first eight minutes, 19-12, by relying on patience against a stifling zone defense.
“We hadn’t seen the zone from them earlier, so we were a little surprised,” Fredericktown coach Derek Dibling said.
By halftime the Freddies had a 38-26 lead and goosed it to 59-46 heading to the final eight minutes. With 5:40 remaining, the visitors owned a 68-52 lead. But the never-say-die Pirates weren’t finished.
Cardington ripped off a blistering 17-4 run capped by Warren Garrison’s bucket to climb within 72-69 with just 42 seconds showing.
Clock management and ball handling by the Freddies forced the Pirates to foul, but Fredericktown’s accuracy from the charity stripe thwarted that strategy. A combination of intensity and frustration brought about a technical foul on the Pirates and while the free throw was missed, the possession after the technical sealed the deal.
“Our game plan was to make them shoot the ball and kudos to them, they hit the big shots,” Cardington coach Jason Rice said. “I felt like every time we would make a run, they would make a run they always had an answer.
“We have been on the other side where we have made runs and the other teams have not responded. This time it was our turn and I just told the boys that I was very proud of them and even though we were down they battled back, they never stopped, this group never stopped.
“Sometimes the ball just does not bounce your way.”
Dibling pointed out that the championship reflects on much more than the 32 minutes on the court.
“It’s not one day, it takes hours, days and months of hard work and you know it paid off,” Dibling said.
Fredericktown had four players post double figures. Blake Sipes led the Freddies with 26, Carson Rinehart was good for 20 and Brode Davi and Zane Lickmeier each added 11.
The Pirates A.J. Breham led all scorers with 29 and Garrison chipped in 18.
Fredericktown improves to 15-4 overall, 13-1 in the KMAC. The only loss was on Jan. 31, a 66-47 loss at Northmor. The Freddies travel to Utica on Saturday night. They finish the regular season with a trip to Jeromesville to face Hillsdale and will host Mansfield Christian in the season finale.
The Pirates dropped to 16-3, 12-2, with both losses coming to the Freddies.