By DEAN JACKSON
WZBD.com
FORT WAYNE – It was a test, a tune-up for the post-season play.
A unique opportunity to get better, with an even bigger challenge to figure out how to adapt and grit out a win.
Adams Central checked all those boxes except “W” in a 78-76 overtime loss to Class 4A North Side Saturday on the road.
“That’s exactly what it was,” AC coach Aaron McClure said. “I think that’s a game we needed to have going into the sectional, just an opportunity to play against some athleticism, some speed.”
“I was pleased with our effort but not with the final result. It was a great ball game. You’d like to win a ball game like that, but I think you know you’re coming up here, and you’re looking for the challenge.”
North Side outlasted the visitors as Eugene Young worked free to grab a pass from Javius Davenport to hit a three-pointer from the left wing to build a 77-76 lead. Davenport went on to hit the second of two free throws to make it 78-76 with 2.1 seconds to play.
Davenport snagged a rebound off a baseline drive by AC’s Micah McClure and drew the foul.
Just 20 seconds before, Isaac Schultz leaned in with a point-blank shot from the low block to give Central the lead, 76-74.
It snapped a six-game winning streak for the Flying Jets.
“North Side didn’t win the Summit Athletic Conference title, but it is certainly one of the stronger teams in the SAC this year. This certainly shows we can compete on that level.”
The Flying Jets (18-4) finished with three players in double digits. Schultz netted 23 points, Drew Johnson had 20, and Micah McClure added 17. Jaxon Fugate and Eugene Young each scored 26 points for North Side (14-8).
The Legends netted 13 three-pointers while hitting just 5 of 13 at the line. The Flying Jets finished with three of their six three-point goals in the fourth quarter. They were 12 of 15 at the line.
“We didn’t have a really great shooting night from the perimeter, and North Side probably shot it as well as I’d say they could shoot at that. I thought our guys stepped up. You know Schultz has been sick all weekend. You battled through it last night and tried to battle through it again tonight. I thought we did a good job. But we missed some shots we might normally hit.”
While it shows as a loss in the books. It will likely pay off later.
McClure’s desire to square off against tough opponents extended to matchups with state-ranked foes like Class 3A No. 5 Bellmont, Class 2A No. 7 Manchester, Class 2A No. 1 Tipton, and now the Legends.
“We know we’ve got a good team; we’re tough. We’re good. I think we can compete with any 2A team in the state. I should think that we showed tonight.”
Adams Central doesn’t typically choose to square off against a Class 4A foe like North Side. There’s a decided advantage. There’s talent, there’s speed, there’s athleticism, and there’s height, and with more than 1,500 students, there’s a lot to go around. But that’s exactly why the Flying Jets put them on the schedule.
“As a coach and as a player, I think you’d like to play in these environments. You want to play on good teams, especially when you’re good. I don’t know long-term; we’re probably not going to play North Side for the next ten years in a row. But for this year, and I think next year, this is a great team,” McClure noted.
North Side looked to be firmly in the driver’s seat to start the fourth quarter. Powered by a 9-2 run that spanned 3:28 minutes, the Legends enjoyed an eight-point lead. That’s when Eugene Young buried a three-pointer to make it 60-52 with 6:10 to play.
Adams Central answered and outscored the hosts 22-14 the rest of the way, including an 8-2 rally over 38 seconds to pull even at 74-74.
McClure called it “trading twos for threes.” That’s his version of basketball math. He sent North Side to the line to shoot free throws while his squad was countering with the long ball as Trace Maller hit back-to-back three balls to cut it to 74-72 with 25.4 to play.
Schultz tied it with a six-footer with 11 seconds to play in regulation. This, after Jordan Woods missed a pair of foul shots, helped the cause to keep it to a one-basket game.
The Flying Jets return to action Friday at Lakewood Park near Auburn.