Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

MINFORD — The Rock Hill Redmen understand what Davey Crockett and Jim Bowie felt like at The Alamo.

Playing Division II district power Minford and missing starter Jake Falls with an illness, the Redmen must have felt surrounded.

But with a career-high 36 points by Austin Collins, the Redmen battled to the end before falling 67-61 in overtime to the Falcons on Tuesday.

“With Falls out, I told the kids they had to stay out of foul trouble, but to play hard and they did. No one gave them a chance, but they battled the whole game. We were just a play or two from winning,” said Rock Hill coach Dave Hopper.

Austin Barcus scored 17 points and Nathan Turvey added 8 points as only three players scored for Rock Hill (6-13).

Minford — now 17-2 and unbeaten in the SOC — was led by Brandon Rowe with 18 points and Trey Kelley with 16.

Collins scored 8 points and Barcus had 6 in the first quarter as Rock Hill took a 17-13 lead. Kelley had 6 points for Minford.

Collins came back with 12 points in the second quarter as Rock Hill extended its lead to 31-23.

Kelley had 8 points including a pair of 3-pointers and Rowe scored 7 as Minford rallied to tie the game at 40.

Collins and Barcus combined for 15 points in the fourth quarter while Miller scored 9 for Minford. Collins’ basket at the buzzer tied the game at 57 to force the overtime.

Dillon Shepherd scored 5 points in overtime as Minford jumped out quickly and outscored the Redmen 10-4. Collins had all of Rock Hill’s points.

Rock Hill hosts Coal Grove on Friday.

Rock Hill 17 14 9 17 4 = 61

Minford 13 10 17 17 10 = 67

ROCK HILL (6-13): Alex Nance 0 0 0-0 0, Nathan Turvey 0 2 2-2 8, Austin Collins 9 4 6-7 36, Timmy Adkins 0 0 0-1 0, Brady Knipp 0 0 0-0 0, Trystan Matney 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Barcus 6 0 5-7 17. Totals: 15 6 13-17 61. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.

MINFORD (15-2): Jared Alley 0 0 4-4 4, Michael Miller 4 1 0-0 4, Kenton Gullion 3 0 0-0 6, Tyler McCormick 0 0 0-0 0, Simon Thoroughman 0 0 0-0 0, Brandon Rowe 4 3 1-3 18, Jacob Perry 0 0 0-0 0, Mathew Gullett 0 1 0-0 3, Dillon Shepherd 4 0 1-4 9, Trey Kelley 5 2 0-0 16. Totals: 20 7 6-11 67. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.