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Connell gives Falcons a lift in 59-54 win over AG

By Kevin Harrison for The 3 min read
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Albert Gallatin's Sam Haines (34) tries to block the shot of Connellsville's Griffin Thompson (4) during Tuesday's Section 1-AAAA game at Connellsville Area High School.

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Albert Gallatin's David Knox (30) and Nick Groover (4) leap over Connellsville's Avery White (12) when White stopped short to shoot the ball during Tuesday's Section 1-AAAA game at Connellsville Area High School.

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Connellsville's Bradley Sledge (1) and Colby Shipley (6) apply pressure on Albert Gallatin's Brandon Paroda (10) as he shoots the ball during Tuesday's Section 1-AAAA game at Connellsville Area High School.

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Connellsville's Seth Younkin (32) tries to stop Albert Gallatin's Brandon Paroda (10) from going to the hoop during Tuesday's Section 1-AAAA game at Connellsville Area High School.

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John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard

While surrounded by Connellsville defenders, Albert Gallatin’s Michael Lewis (23) finds an opening and passes the ball during Tuesday’s Section 1-AAAA game at Connellsville Area High School.

CONNELLSVILLE — The beauty of sports is that you never know when someone is going have that special night to give a team a lift. That was the case for the Connellsville Falcons in their Section 1-AAAA contest with the visiting Albert Gallatin Colonials.

The Falcons played without Caleb Pittsment, their main inside threat who injured his ankle last Friday at practice. Andy Hedrick had to reach a little deeper into his bench and senior Jake Connell responded with a game-high 27 points, hitting five 3-pointers for the Falcons in a 59-54 win over Albert Gallatin.

“All I can say tonight is Jake Connell,” Hedrick said. “He came off the bench and hit all of those shots. I’m proud of the kid. He doesn’t get to play a lot and he got his opportunity tonight. I’m just so proud of him.”

The teams played to an 8-8 tie in the first quarter with Connell and Avery White hitting treys for the Falcons. The pair would heat up for the Falcons in the second period, as they outscored the Colonials 19-11. Connell had six of his eight points from beyond the arc, while White finished with seven, that included a trey, as the Falcons (2-4, 3-11) took a 27-19 lead at the half.

The Colonials (0-5, 1-9) fell behind by 10 in the third period, trailing 36-26 before their defense brought them back into the game. AG went to a 1-3-1 half court trap that gave the Falcons trouble as Albert Gallatin outscored Connellsville, 14-5, to close out the third period. Tavian Mozie, who came off the bench to lead AG with 14 points, scored seven in the third, while David Knox pounded the Falcons inside for six of his 12 points.

However, the Colonials trailed after three periods, 41-40.

“We’ve been working on the trap since Christmas break started,” AG’s Shea Fleenor said. “It was effective for us against Hempfield. We tell them not to give up the corner shot and tonight we didn’t get there. Taylor Kutek did help lock down the corner in the second half. We tried to run the defense in the first half, but couldn’t get enough traps out of it.”

A pair of baskets by Connell in the fourth quarter gave the Falcons a 46-40 lead. The Colonials came back with six straight points to tie the game, but the Falcons edged out to a 49-46 lead on a basket from Dustin Wiggins and a free throw from Brock Bonadio. Knox scored for the Colonials, followed by two free throws from Mozie to give the visitors a 50-49 lead.

Two free throws from Connell gave the Falcons a 51-50 lead, then a Michael Lewis free throw tied the game. Colby Shipley scored giving the Falcons a brief lead. Mozie answered with a three to put the Colonials up 54-53. The Falcons regained the lead when Bonadio was fouled and hit both free throws. The Falcons proceeded to make four of the next six free throws to get the win.

“It seemed like we got a bucket when we needed to,” Hedrick said. “We never let them get more than a one point lead. If we would have got to the point where it was more than one possession it would have tough on us, but a win is a win.”

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