WILMINGTON — Polytech’s boys basketball team had been here before. Just a day before, in fact. On Dec. 29, the Panthers mounted a furious comeback to defeat Devon Prep (Pa.) in the Viking Invitational, earning a shot at the host Vikings in the championship game on Dec. 30.
As they had against Devon Prep, the Panthers fell behind St. Elizabeth, rallied and held a four-point lead with just a minute and a half remaining in the fourth quarter. This time, however, their opponent responded to Polytech’s resurgence, and the Vikings outscored the Panthers, 9-0, over the final 1:32 to take the game, 54-49, and the Dick Rago Cup at the inaugural Viking Invitational.
St. Elizabeth held a 39-33 lead late in the third quarter until Kyle Gamber hit a three that cut the lead in half at the end of the stanza. Early in the fourth, Dorrell Little’s third-chance putback brought the Panthers to within a point at 43-42, and a follow shot from Xavier Brewington with 3:50 left gave the Panthers a one-point lead. The race was on.
Leamond Pearce restored the Vikings’ lead after an offensive rebound and made shot, but the joy was short-lived. After a steal, Gamber saved the ball inbounds under the basket to Brewington, who passed it back to Gamber in the corner. His three ball from there gave Polytech the 47-45 advantage. After a St. Elizabeth turnover, the Panthers ran more than a minute off the clock before Little drove and banked in a shot to extend the lead to four.
Kye Rawls missed the front end of a one-and-one for the Vikings, but he would make his presence felt over the final 75 seconds. After the miss, he intercepted a Panthers pass and went in for an old-fashioned three-point play to get the Vikings back to within one.
Pearce rebounded a missed Polytech free throw and went coast to coast to put the Vikings back on top, 50-49. The Panthers were called for an offensive foul after that, and Rawls hit two free throws with 21 seconds remaining to get the Vikings’ lead to three. With the Panthers looking to tie in the closing seconds, Rawls collected another steal, and his two free throws with 1.9 seconds to go sealed the victory.
Rawls had 15 points to lead the Vikings. Aiden Tobiason had 14, including three three-pointers in the first quarter, and Jayden Lawrence added 12. The Vikings improved to 6-0 and host Wilmington Charter on Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.
Little led all scorers with 18. Gamber (13) and Brewington (12) joined him in double figures. The Panthers (4-3) welcome Milford on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
All photos by Mike Lang.
