RAVENNA, OH- On Tuesday night at James L. Coll Gymnasium in Ravenna the host Ravens welcomed in their cross town neighbor Rootstown Rovers. It was a matchup of two struggling teams both looking to gain some positive momentum coming down the stretch of the regular season. It had the makings of a great game, and it did not disappoint. Rootstown was able to hang on for a 58-57 win in overtime after a tightly contested second half.
The Rovers got off to a hot start in this one jumping out to a 12-4 lead after a Blake Mullaly three ball.
After a CJ Ross bucket for Ravenna, the Rovers would go on an 8-2 run capped off by a Mullaly drive and score to push the lead to 12 at 20-8.
Ross would score the final two points of the quarter for the Ravens as the Rovers led 20-10 after one.
The Ravens would start quarter two on a 6-0 run with Ross scoring the first four points and hitting a cutting Jaxon Kelly to the basket to cut the deficit to 20-16.
After a Dean Abdlrasul basket inside for the Rovers, it was Ross with the nice move inside to score making it a 22-18 game.
The Ross basket sparked an 8-0 Ravenna run that was capped off by a Ladarion Askew drive and score putting Ravenna up 24-22.
After four Rovers free throws and a fast break score by the Ravens Bryant Thompson, we were tied 26-26 at the half. Blake Mullaly and CJ Ross each had a game high 14 points at the break.
The 3rd quarter was as tightly contested as you can get. Rootstown took a 30-28 lead after a Luke Flowers score inside on a pass from Mullaly.
At the other end the Ravens Mark Miller hit a three ball to put them up 31-30. Blake Mullaly would answer right back with a three of his own putting the Rovers up 33-31. A Carson Hayn and-one conversion and Mullally bucket late in the 3rd put Rootstown up five. CJ Ross and Jaxon Kelly scored back to back buckets to close out the 3rd with the Rovers clinging to a 40-39 lead.
The Ravens came out strong to start the final frame as they began on an 8-2 run to take a 47-42 lead after a Ladarion Askew drive and score.
The Rovers would answer right back with a 7-0 run capped off by a Dean Abdlrasul big and-one conversion inside to put them up 51-47.
The Rovers held a 52-49 lead late before Sean Jordan nailed a huge three ball for Ravenna to tie it up at 52-52. A long Mullaly three point attempt came up short for the Rovers and we were headed to overtime.
Abdlrasul would get things going for the Rovers in overtime scoring two straight buckets sandwiched around a Ross free throw giving Rootstown a 56-53 lead.
Back to back scores by Thompson and Kelly for Ravenna put them up 57-56 before yet another big score from Abdlrasul put the Rovers back on top 58-57.
That shot would end up being the game winner with 2.2 seconds left as the Rovers hung on for a big 58-57 overtime win.
Blake Mullaly led the scoring for the Rovers with 21 points and three shots from deep. Abdlrasul scored 13 of his 15 points in the 2nd half with 6 of the coming in the overtime period. CJ Ross led the Ravens with 17.
The Ravens will try to bounce back on Friday when they host a tough Streetsboro squad while the Rovers look to carry momentum into their Friday matchup with Lake Center Christian.
Postgame interviews with Blake Mullaly, Dean Abdlrasul and head coach Bobby Staudt.