Spartans lose another tough one

LIMA — The Lima Senior season in a nutshell has been: another close game, another tough loss.

The Spartans continued their string of coming close but losing when they dropped a 71-65 Three Rivers Athletic Conference game Friday night to Fremont Ross at Lima Senior.

The Spartans took a 47-45 lead into the fourth period before Fremont Ross came back behind 8-of-14 shooting from the field and 10-of-14 from the free throw line to grab the victory.

Lima Senior falls to 3-11 overall and 2-7 in the TRAC with the loss while the Little Giants improve to 8-7 and 5-5 on the year.

“We are all frustrated but I am tired of ‘we just need a break,’” Lima Senior coach Shawn Allen said. “We were a little selfish and took some ill-advised shots, but I’m not giving up.”

The Spartans got off to a rough start as Fremont jumped out to a 17-9 lead after one quarter thanks mainly to a 10-2 rebounding edge and four first period Spartan turnovers.

Lima Senior began a comeback with improved rebounding and taking the ball to the basket in the second period , outscoring the Little Giants 17-14 to get to within 31-26 at the halftime break.

The Spartans came out in the third quarter with a 2-3 zone and 1-3-1 press and finally took the lead at 47-43 following a 6-0 run late in the period.

Tyler White and Devon Allen led the Lima Senior comeback with 7 and 6 points, respectively, in the quarter.

The game was still tied at 53 before the Little Giants began to pull away, but the Spartans trailed only 64-62 with 25 seconds left in the game.

But Fremont was able to hold on for the win thanks to 12 fourth-quarter points from senior Jarett Koonce, who connected on eight straight free throws in the final 1:17 of the game.

Koonce ended the contest with 21 points while Diante Pettiford added 13 points while Jay Carnicom and Nick Steacker both added 11 points. Skylar Reffner gave the Little Giants five players in double figure scoring with his 10-point effort,

Lima Senior got 21 points from White, 17 from Jerry Hutchins and Allen ended with 12 points for the Spartans.

“We have had 11 games down to the wire but we still make the same mistakes and we are not going to get any bigger,” Shawn Allen said. “Sometimes the kids have to hold themselves accountable. I’m proud of them but not for making the same mistakes over and over.”

Fremont ended the game hitting 28-of-56 from the floor for 50 percent and also connected on 13-of-18 from the free throw line while the Spartans ended the night hitting 42 percent on 26-of-61 on field goals and 12-of-17 from the free throw line.

The Spartans were limited to player rotations due to the suspensions of Divante Hall and Reggie Perkins from ther team.

“We probably play one of the 10 toughest schedules in the state,” Allen said. “We need to play smart and as a team since they don’t make a dust I can sprinkle or a pill I can give them that is going to make us bigger.”