Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — The St. Joseph Flyers were either going to live by the 3-pointer or die by it.
As it turned out, they died by the free throw.
The Flyers were 9-of-28 from the 3-point line against a tight Portsmouth Notre Dame zone as they lost 55-54 on a foul shot by the Titans’ Ben Mader with less than two seconds to play.
“They were playing a zone and giving us the outside shot. We had good looks but we had a lot of shots go in and out and we got in some foul trouble with Whaley and McDavid,” said Flyers’ coach Rex Cooksey.
“We weren’t overlooking them. Notre Dame has improved a lot and they played super on their home floor.”
The Flyers (14-5) were 22-of-53 overall from the field for 41.5 percent. However, Notre Dame was 9-of-14 from the foul line and the Flyers were 1-of-2 with both shots coming in the first minute of the game.
Zach Roach had a huge game for the Flyers as he hit six 3-pointers and scored 24 points. Joey McDavid and Chase Walters scored 12 each.
Walters also had 12 rebounds, McDavid five and Clay Willis four. Isaac Whaley handed out 10 assists and Walters had three steals.
Jackson Clark hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points while Mader had 17 points to pace the Titans. Tyler Speas added 11 points.
The Titans took a 14-13 first quarter lead. McDavid scored five, Walters four and Whaley hit a 3-pointer for the Flyers.
Roach hit a pair of 3-pointers and Walters scored four points in the second quarter and Notre Dame led 26-25 at the half.
Roach nine points in the third quarter but the Flyers fell behind 44-40.
St. Joseph trailed by six points in the fourth quarter but battled back as Roach drained a 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds to play to tie the game. It was his third trifecta of the quarter.
Notre Dame called timeout but Roach stole the ball only to be ruled out of bounds.
With two seconds left, the Titans inbounded the ball under the basket three-quarters of the floor away from their basket.
The Flyers were called for a foul and Mader made one of two free throws to give the Titans the win.
The Flyers visits Symmes Valley on Saturday.
St. Joseph    13    12    15    14    =    54
Notre Dame    14    12    18    11    =    55
ST. JOSEPH (14-5): Isaac Whaley 0 1 0-0 3, Zach Roach 3 6 0-0 24, Clay Willis 1 0 1-2 3, Joey McDavid 3 2 0-0 12, Chase Walter 6 0 0-0 12, Jimmy Mahlmeister 0 0 0-0 0, J.C. Damron 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-53 1-2 54. 3-pt goals: 9-28. Rebounds: 10-O, 16-D = 26 (Walters 12, McDavid 5, Willis 4). Assists: 16 (Whaley 10). Steals: 6 (Walters 3). Turnovers: 10. Fouls 14. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (NA): Cole Harrell 0 0 0-0 0, Ben Mader 4 1 6-8 17, Miles Shipp 3 0 0-0 6, Jackson Clark 1 5 2-4 19, Ethan Kammer 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Nichols 1 0 0-0 2, Tyler Speas 5 0 1-2 11. Totals: 14 6 9-14 55. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.