Boys Basketball: Jacob Bearss’ lone point wins it for Portage

Updated: May 9, 2012 10:05AM

PORTAGE — If you’re only going to score one point in a game, it might as well be the game-winner.

Portage sophomore Jacob Bearss hit a free throw with 6.6 seconds left, giving the Indians a 45-44 victory over Hobart — the Indians’ first win of the season.

“He really is a good free-throw shooter, but he’d missed his two attempts prior to that,” said Portage (1-2) coach Rick Snodgrass. “All I told him was to be the shooter that we know he is.”

Bearss missed his second free throw attempt, giving Hobart (1-2) a chance to win the game on the ensuing possession. But Matthew Brown’s jumper was off the mark, securing the win for Portage.

“We wanted to attack the basket,” said Hobart coach Mike Black. “Matthew got a good look, that’s about all you can ask for. It just didn’t go in.”

Bearss’ free-throw attempts were set up by two stellar plays from Portage freshman Jordan Collazo. First, he swiped the ball from Brown with about 80 seconds remaining and the score tied at 44. The Indians then ran the clock down under 15 seconds before Collazo drove through the Brickies’ defense and found Bearss on the left side of the basket. A foul on Hobart’s Anthony Burgos sent Bearss to the line.

Said Snodgrass: “That was a great pass. Jordan is playing with a lot of confidence. The more time he gets on the court, the better off we’re going to be.”

The game started much differently from its dramatic finish. Hobart’s first basket came on a Jose Robles layup at the 1:05 mark. Portage didn’t hit a field goal until a David Jercha three-point play with 1.9 remaining in the quarter. After one, the score was tied at five.

A pair of 3s from Patrick Wynn sparked a 12-0 Hobart run in the second quarter. But in the waning seconds of the first half, a drive-and-score by Collazo gave the Indians some much-needed momentum, as they trailed 23-16 after two.

The third quarter ended another Indians’ buzzer beater, this time a 3-pointer by Tyler Gonzalez, knotting the game at 32.

Gonzalez finished with 16 points—including 4 3-pointers—to lead all scorers.

“Tyler is one of our best outside shooters,” said Snodgrass. “He had very good shot selection tonight. You expect your shooters to knock down those looks for you.”

Brown had a team-high 14 points for the Brickies.

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