Park Hill South’s Cahmai Crosby finished with 13 points in the Panthers home opener versus William Chrisman on Dec. 10.
When Cahmai Crosby stepped to the free throw line with 5.8 seconds remaining in regulation of the Park Hill South boys’ basketball team (2-2) home opener, the Panthers trailed by five points, but the game was far from over.
William Chrisman (4-2) held a 49-44 lead when the Panther junior sunk a pair of shots from the charity stripe. The Bears inbounded the ball and were immediately double teamed by a pair of Park Hill South players.
After a bad pass, the ball landed back in the hands of Crosby with less than three seconds left and 25 feet away from the basket. The Panther guard took a dribble and pulled up from downtown and the ball went in and out of the cylinder as the buzzer sounded and Park Hill South lost 49-46.
Park Hill South led almost the entire game and second half until the final minute of regulation. The Panthers led 44-35 with 3:54 remaining, but the Bears scored nine straight to tie the contest with 55 seconds left.
After a bad pass in the press break by Park Hill South, Crosby fouled William Chrisman with 45 seconds to go. After the Bears converted on a pair of free throws, they had their first lead since there was 2:19 left in the opening frame.
On the ensuing possession with less than 30 seconds remaining, J.D. Robert had a clean look at a 3-pointer but was unable to convert. William Chrisman made two more free throws with 22 seconds left and Crosby missed a shot from behind the arc with 13 seconds remaining before the Bears took a 49-46 lead with less than 10 seconds to go.
The Panthers took control of the contest early when a transition layup from Roberts at the 2:18 mark of the first quarter gave Park Hill South its first lead at 9-8. William Chrisman trailed by two points entering the second quarter when Park Hill South sophomore Colby Kiedrowski came off the bench and scored 10 points to help give the Panthers a 26-18 lead at the break.
Brayden Parra was the most efficient Panther in the home opener as the junior knocked down four of his six shot attempts – all of which were behind the arc – to finish with a team high 16 points and two steals. Crosby scored 13 points, grabbed six rebounds and had two assists.