Late free throws give Irish 51-49 victory over Panthers

CHAPMAN — Kelan Gruver connected on two free throws with 0.5 seconds remaining in the game to give the Chapman Irish an improbable 51-49 North Central Kansas League victory over the Concordia Panthers on Friday night.
Chapman, which had suffered five straight losses by an average of 34 points per game, heading into the game, wouldn’t back down against the Panthers.
The Irish rallied from a 45-39 deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 49-49 when Weston Langvardt made one of two free throws with 31 seconds remaining.
Concordia was holding for a final shot when Joey Henderson drove into the lane and had the ball taken away.
Chapman called a timeout with 2.3 seconds on the clock.
Taking the ball out from under its own basket, the Irish had Ian Suther deliver a three-quarter court pass to Langvardt.
Langvardt then passed off to Gruver on the right wing, and he went up for an off-balance three-point attempt.
Concordia’s Alan Garcia contested Gruver’s shot, and was called for a foul.
“They actually ran a play kind of like we have if we need it. They threw a long pass and they cut their shooter down the sideline and he got open,” Concordia coach Derek Holmes said of the Chapman play that led to the winning free throws. “It shouldn’t have come down to that.”
Gruver missed on the first of three free throw attempts, but hit the next two to put Chapman on top 51-49.
Time then ran out on Concordia as Payton Breese attempted a three-quarter court heave.
“We have to have guys make plays in crunch time when we need it,” Holmes said. “We are up six with a minute and a half left, and turnovers, missed free throws and we don’t switch the pick on a three and give up a three at the end.”
Suffering a third consecutive loss, the Panthers fall to 5-5 overall and 1-5 in league play.
“It is disappointing. A bad loss,” Holmes said.
Chapman picked up its first league win and is now 2-7 overall.
Concordia took a 38-35 lead into the fourth quarter.
Just 13 seconds into that final period, Chapman’s Gage Picking hit a three-point shot and was fouled. He made the free throw to give the Irish a 39-38 advantage.
Picking connected on six threes and led all scorers with 21 points.
Two free throws by Aceyn Cash, a jumper by Garcia and a three by Peyton Retter gave Concordia the lead back at 45-39.
It was a 49-43 Panther cushion with under 1:30 to play when Chapman mounted a comeback.
Picking hit a three to make it 49-46.
Cash was unable to convert on the front end of a one-and-one opportunity, and a jumper by Picking pulled the Irish within a point, 49-48.
Henderson missed the front end of a one-and-one and Chapman came away with the rebound.
Langvardt then drew a foul with 31 seconds left. He made the first free throw but missed the second.
Henderson then had the ball taken away, and that set up the frantic final 2.3 seconds.
“He (Henderson) was coming off a high ball screen from Jonathan (Turner) and was going to try to attack the rim, and if they collapsed, pitch it out for a shot. He just got in too deep and they stripped the ball,” Holmes said. “We wanted to attack the basket.”
Cash led Concordia with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Garcia finished with 10 points and six rebounds.
Henderson added nine points and eight rebounds.
Breese also scored nine points.
The Panthers hit 18 of 48 field goal attempts for 38 percent and were 5 of 15 from three-point range.
Gruver joined Picking in double figures for Chapman with 11 points.
Concordia scored the first five points of the game and was up 9-5 when Chapman went on a 13-2 run over the final 3:01 of the first quarter to take an 18-11 lead.
Getting three-point baskets by Cash and Breese, the Panthers scored the first nine points of the second period to go back on top, 20-18.
There were four lead changes over the final 3:25 of the first half and the game was knotted at 26-26 at the break.
Scoring the first four points of the second half, the Irish led 30-26.
Concordia used a 12-2 spurt to reclaim the lead at 38-32.
A three by Picking pulled Chapman within three points, 38-35, going into the final eight minutes.
The Panthers play the Halstead Dragons (5-5) at 7:45 Tuesday night in the first round of the Adolph Rupp Invitational Tournament in Halstead.

CONCORDIA (49)
Henderson 4-1-3 9, Garcia 5-0-4 10, Retter 1-2-1 5, Cash 3-4-5 11, Breese 3-0-0 9, Turner 2-1-0 5. Totals: 18-8-13 49.
CHAPMAN (51)
Picking 7-1-2 21, Whitehair 1-0-1 2, Klukas 2-0-2 4, Suther 3-0-2 7, Holm 1-1-3 3, Langvardt 1-1-3 3, Gruver 1-8-0 11. Totals: 16-11-14 51.