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Turnovers foil Raiders’ comeback on Bolles

By Randy Lefko
Posted 12/13/17

ORANGE PARK – Orange Park High guard Dialo Bryant dove across the floor at the Raiderdome to cause a turnover and create an opportunity for the Raiders basketball team to edge up to Bolles in an …

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Turnovers foil Raiders’ comeback on Bolles


Posted

ORANGE PARK – Orange Park High guard Dialo Bryant dove across the floor at the Raiderdome to cause a turnover and create an opportunity for the Raiders basketball team to edge up to Bolles in an afternoon clash at Orange Park High School that ended with the Bulldogs hanging on for a 62-59 non-district win Saturday afternoon.

Bolles, 6-1 overall, came in as an efficient and fast-moving team that could challenge the Raiders oft-speedy attack and the two teams battled to the very end with Bryant delivering a three pointer at 2:21 to go to put the score at 58-57 for Bolles.

“I put this one on me for not coaching them to take command of games like this and be in position to win,” said Orange Park coach Derek Kurnitsky, now 4-2, 1-0. “I know center Davonte Crutch was probably the best player of the floor with a handful of blocked shots, key rebounds and offensive tips. He’s learning the skill set for being a dominating center player.”

Despite Crutch’s heroic efforts to keep the Bolles ballhandlers out of the paint, Bolles opened the game with a 20-13 first quarter lead mainly off a slew of three pointers.

Crutch had one blocked shot and a tipped rebound in for a bucket to keep the game honest at 13-10 late in the first, but Bolles continued to shred the net with their three pointers for a 7-3 surge.

In the second quarter, Orange Park got to within four points at 20-16 with a Crutch layup and a three point layup and foul shot from guard Ty McBride.

Bolles led 33-23 at the half as Kurnitsky contemplated his move into the third period.

McBride and junior John Abate answered with back-to-back three pointers and an additional Abate drive to the basket cutting the lead to 36-31 in less than two minutes.

Bolles again surged to a 10-point lead, 43-33, but Orange Park, again, fought back to 47-44 by the end of third with Abate and McBridge challenging the Bolles defense with hard drives to the basket.

Crutch kept the Raiders in striking distance with a tip and a layup with a free throw tying the game at 49-49 at 5:40 to go.

Abate crashed in for a layup for a 52-50 Raider lead as the Bulldog defense started to wilt under the pressure of Kurnitsky’s strike offense.

After a series of missed three pointers on both sides, Bolles center Will Crouch nailed a three pointer with three minutes to go to put the Bulldogs up 53-52.

Bolles added free throws to a 55-54 lead before Bryant nailed his three-pointer from in front of the Raider bench to push the score to 57-55, but Crouch banged in another three pointer to grab the lead 58-57 for Bolles.

On a Bolles throw-in, Bryant battled with Bolles guard Will Shepard for a loose ball and dove the width of the court to put the ball in Abate’s hand en route to a lay up and 59-58 lead.

A misdirected pass from McBride gave Bolles a shot at the win and Crouch hit two free throws with 33 seconds left. McBride later fouled out to put two free throws on the board for Bolles with Crutch fouling out moments later with five seconds remaining on the clock. Abate missed a three pointer at the buzzer.