Final second free throw lifts Grove City past Juniata MBB
(Posted November 28, 2007)
GROVE CITY, Pa. - Grove City College\'s Luke Tomaselli connected on the first of two free throws with one second remaining to lift the Wolverines to a 64-63 win over Juniata College, in men\'s basketball action Wednesday night in Grove City, Pa. Juniata (3-2) held a 40-19 lead at halftime, after shooting 46.9% (15-32) from the field and going 7-of-14 from beyond the arc. The Wolverines (3-1), who had gone 7-of-23 (30.4%) from the field in the opening frame, found their shot in the second half, connecting at a 54.2% (13-24) clip after the break - including a scorching 8-of-10 from three-point range. The Eagles held a 53-38 lead as late as the 8:31 mark of the second half, following a three-pointer by Eric Mueseler (Latrobe, Pa./Latrobe). Grove City responded with a trey by Shawn Carr, launching a 19-5 Wolverine run over the next six minutes of play. The Wolverines turned the contest into a one-possession game on Bobby Turner\'s three-pointer with 2:12 remaining in the second half, reducing the Juniata lead to 58-57. After the two teams traded jumpers, Kyle Opitz (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine Richland) put the Eagles in front by four, 63-59, with a three-pointer with just 42 seconds remaining. A foul by Garrett Bull (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) with 19 seconds on the clock sent Shawn Carr to the line, where he connected on two free throws. Nine seconds later he drained a jump shot, tying the game at 63-63. A turnover by Opitz and foul by Brent Ferko (Sarver, Pa./Freeport) with one tick on the game clock put Tomaselli on the line, where he converted his first foul shot to give the Wolverines their first lead of the game - and the win. The Eagles built their first half lead through a pair of scoring runs - with the first one starting at the 15:12 mark, when a Bull three-pointer triggered a 13-2 run that turned a one-point game into a 20-8 Juniata lead with 12:06 remaining in the half. The second run was a 10-0 romp over the final 5:44 of the first half, sparked by treys from Ferko and Jeff Berkey (Stoystown, Pa./Shanksville-Stonycreek). Ferko finished with a team-high 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field. Berkey chipped in with 12 points, largely behind his 4-of-5 performance from three-point range. Bull dished out four assists, while matching Ferko with a team-high six rebounds. Carr paced Grove City offensively with a game-high 17 points, while three other players - Ryan Gibson, Andy O\'Keefe, and Bobby Turner - tallied 10 points each. Juniata returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 1, when the Eagles open Landmark Conference play by hosting Susquehanna University as part of a doubleheader. The women\'s game will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by the men\'s game at 8:00 p.m. -30-
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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.