Gallatin’s boys built a 21-point fourth quarter lead but had to settle for a 46-40 victory over Lathrop
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Gallatin’s boys built a 21-point fourth quarter lead but had to settle for a 46-40 victory over Lathrop in Saturday night’s third place game of the Hamilton Tournament.
The Bulldogs led, 41-21, with approximately four minutes, but led by 6’6″ center Thomas Harp, the Mules rallied to cut 15 points off the lead. Drayson Leeper ended a 12-0 Lathrop run with a pair of free throws at the 1:31 mark, but the Bulldogs missed their next six attempts from the foul line. Harp knocked down a three-pointer inside the final minute to cut the gap to 43-37.
The Mules failed to convert another trey shot on their next possession and Gallatin kept it a two- possession game in the final seconds. Harp rammed home a three-pointer with five seconds left, but Pat Dickinson iced the game for Gallatin with a free throw.
The Bulldogs completely controlled the game’s tempo up until the late Mule charge. Gallatin led, 25-15, at the break, and 33-17 at the end of the third quarter.
Colby Swanstone cashed in 15 points to lead the Bulldogs. Jeremiah Gibson added 14. Harp finished with a game-high 21 points for Lathrop on the strength of five three-pointers.
The two teams will meet again in three weeks in the GHS gym.
Jays halt advance
For the second time this month, West Platte threw up a roadblock in Gallatin’s path to a championship game. The Blue Jays checked a possible Bulldog matchup with Hamilton in the finals by winning Thursday’s semifinal, 55-43.
The Blue Jays came out on top by playing an in-your-face style of defense that gave the Bulldogs few outside shooting opportunities. Gallatin also found slim pickings in fast break and transition buckets. Burge managed three three-pointers for the Bulldogs and finished with 12 points. Swanstone also topped double figures with 14 points.
Brian Barmann, the tournament most valuable player, tallied 21 points to lead West Platte.
West Platte went on to defeat Hamilton, 61-54, in overtime to win the title over the Hornets for the third straight year. The Hornets led most of the way but could not hold off a Blue Jay rally at the end of regulation.