By By AUTUMN GRAYSON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Brandywine's boys basketball team lost its second straight game by only four points or less Friday night against River Valley.
The lead alternated between both teams for the entire game, but River Valley came out on top, 45-48.
"The effort was there, we were just a little flat," said Brandywine head coach, Nate Knapp, after the game. "We really didn't wake up until the third quarter. We could never put it together and get over that hump."
River Valley took a 11-9 lead at the end of the first quarter, but midway through the second period, a three pointer by Brandywine's Matt Beaver tied the game. Beaver finished the game with nine points. Caleb Frazier kept the Bobcats on a roll with a lay-up to put them ahead 16-14. Brandywine maintained two-point lead at halftime.
A technical foul charged to Brandywine put River Valley ahead once again, but the Bobcats quickly regained momentum.
Down by one basket, Matt Beaver swiped the ball from a Mustangs player and completed the play with a lay-up to tie the game, 30-30. River Valley turned the ball over on their next possesion and Brandywine's Adam Hancock ended the quarter with an easy basket.
The tension could be felt throughout the gym as the game was once again tied with 1:02 left. River Valley pulled ahead by two when senior Nate Swords picked up a loose ball to keep the Mustangs in control.
A Bobcat foul sent River Valley's Jamen Blake to the free throw line with 3.4 seconds left to decide the game. Blake went 1-for-2 at the line to extend the Mustangs' lead and end the game.
"(During the last timeout) we just let them know we needed a three and if we miss, foul right away. We just tried to get a steal and do whatever we could to scramble since we didn't have a lot of time," said coach Knapp. "The little things killed us."
Caleb Frazier lead Brandywine in scoring with 15 points. Matthew Harvey added six.
For River Valley, Josh Gibson netted 14 points. Nate Swords had 13 and Robert Alexander had 10 points.