The Whitko Wildcats entered the fourth quarter Tuesday trailing 45-36 and they dared Trace Maller to miss from the line, sending him to the free throw stripe ten times in the final stanza, but Maller was ready for the task, leading the Jets to their third victory in four tries in the first month of the season in a 59-53 win.
Maller knocked down six of those ten foul shots and added two more buckets to lead the Jets, scoring in each of the four quarters to lead all scorers.
The heroics were only needed because of the wild second half from Riley Harman of Whitko, who was scoreless in the first 16 minutes and then poured in 18 in the second half.
Adams Central got into their winning position by holding Whitko to just three points – an Easton Grabble three – in the second quarter. The dry spell gave the Jets a 34-20 halftime lead, one that was big enough to overcome being outscored in both the third and again in the fourth quarter.
Maller finished 8 of 13 shooting from inside the arc. He had a double-double with ten rebounds.
Braylend Reber had 14 points for the victorious Jets, who are set to host Woodlan Friday night.
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