HELPING HANDS: Peru’s Michael Chandler (left) has help from Matt Ross (10) and Treyden Curtis (back) to ensure he pulls down a rebound during Friday night’s TRC boys’ basketball game at Manchester. The Tigers had late chances to secure a win in both the fourth quarter and overtime but fell on a late 3-pointer in a 47-46 loss.
CENTER OF ATTENTION: Peru’s Kash Bellar (center) looks around for a passing option with the eyes of the Manchester defense firmly on him during Friday night’s TRC boys’ basketball game. Bellar started in place of the injured Josh Adejokun and had nine points in the Tigers 47-46 overtime loss to the Squires.
NORTH MANCHESTER — With life breathed back into the TRC boys’ basketball race following Wabash’s loss earlier this week, Peru had a chance to thrust itself back into the conference race at Manchester Friday night.
Peru head coach Eric Thompson said the team had a better showing than Tuesday night with Twin Lakes but didn’t make a few plays late to win the game.
With Josh Adejokun and Preston Jenkins both sidelined by injuries, Thompson said players like Bellar, who started Friday night, Townsend and Ross made important contributions throughout the half.
Casper scored before the end of the period to make it a seven-point game a 36-29 with eight minutes to play.
Caleb Stout opened the fourth quarter with a basket that was cancelled out by a Treyden Curtis layup.
Max Carter saw his basket answered by Majors as the Tigers bled out the clock, taking up huge chunks of time on each possession.
“Like counterpunchers, we like to take what teams are giving us,” Thompson said on the slow pace of the fourth quarter. “It was the way the game had to be.
Lester converted a three-point play with just over two minutes to play but chances were still few and far between.
The Squires created opportunities off of steals, turning a Peru steal around into a Creager layup before Hamby swiped the ball and tied the game with 35 seconds left with a layup.
The Tigers held the ball for the last shot but never got one away, sending the game to overtime.
Casper missed two early free throws and Fuller punished the misses with a three for a 43-40 lead.
Hamby hit two free throws only to see Bellar can a three from the corner to extend the lead to 46-42.
A key moment in the overtime period soon happened off a Manchester miss as Peru secured the rebound, only for a foul off the ball to be called that gave Casper two more shots at the line, free throws the senior connected on.
Both teams started to feel the heat as the Tigers missed a layup only for the Squires to throw the ball into the student section on back-to-back possessions.
After a pass was deflected out of bounds, the hosts called timeout and from the inbounds play, Hamby was given acres of space behind the arc and lifted a three that gave the host a 47-46 lead.
Peru had a chance to win the game and got Fuller free at the free throw line but his shot was off and Bellar’s follow-up was short as well, keeping Manchester in the hunt for a TRC title.
Thompson said the team was close but needed just a little more to get a win.
“We had our chances,” Thompson said. “We’re learning, we have great kids and they’ll bounce back.
After facing Western Saturday, Peru will move back into TRC play Friday at Rochester.
Thompson said the Zebras and Squires also played a close game earlier in the year and expected a tough outing over the weekend.
“Rochester had Manchester beat until Casper hit a last-second shot,” Thompson noted. “We don’t have an easy game the rest of the way out.