Fans from Maplewood Richmond Heights and Brentwood kept the volume high — building to a virtual explosion — at a game to remember Thursday night at MRH.
It began with only 15 points scored in the first quarter. By the half, when MRH led 32-31, it had heated up into a trading leads game that lasted to the buzzer.
MRH sophomore Nate Liska won it for the Blue Devils with a high, clean 3-pointer, making it 51-48, clearing the MRH stands.
Brentwood head coach, Kevin Kullum, said the Eagles played man-to-man defense in the end, trying to keep MRH out of the lanes, forcing them to take a jump shot, “and they did, he made a shot.”
MRH head coach, Corey Frazier, said he had mostly freshmen on the floor, and this game was good for them. Liska is the younger brother of past MRH basketball players.
Ramone Agard, the only MRH senior on the court, hit a 3-pointer for the Blue Devils, putting them up 48-45 with a little more than a minute to play but the Eagles tied it with free throws.
Liska took the ball to the MRH end and kept possession, dribbling, running the clock down to seven seconds, when MRH called a time out. The ball went back to Liska, who continued to dribble until he hit the 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Brentwood hasn’t beaten MRH since 2010, The Brentwood Spirit reports. Read the full game report in The Brentwood Spirit.
.@mrhhighschool hoops pic.twitter.com/Qaj0ESeJ2s
— Doug Miner 40 South (@40SouthNews) January 22, 2016
MRH student, Ellen Wermuth, filmed the game-winner, and MRH senior Chris Tronicek (@tronicek29) shared it on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/tronicek29/status/690376177236713472
.@mrhhighschool wins a 51-48 shot at buzzer barnburner over @GoBrentwood pic.twitter.com/LE6DnlTmZZ
— Doug Miner 40 South (@40SouthNews) January 22, 2016
Game winner Nate Liska!!!!! Blue devils win!
— MRH High School (@mrhhighschool) January 22, 2016
@tronicek29 @mrhhighschool @40SouthNews what a game
— Corey Frazier (@CoachFraz32) January 22, 2016
Them liska’s really shine at Maplewood