Rangers rally for 19-18 win…in 1992 basketball play
Published 1:31 pm Tuesday, June 30, 2020
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Photo Contributed A Unaka player goes in for two points for the Rangers in a 1992 nailbiter against University High.
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Larry Tester was the hero of the night hitting a last-second shot giving
Unaka a 19-18 win over the University High Jr. Bucs.
Unaka a 19-18 win over the University High Jr. Bucs.
Unaka would move to 6-4 in the conference while UH would fall to 4-3.
University took the opening tip and held the ball the entire first quarter.
Anthony Bennett who received the opening tip stood at mid-court for almost
eight minutes.
With .15 seconds left he passed to Jamie Cotrel who missed a long-range shot.
The score at the end of the first was zero to zero.
Unaka had possession to start the second quarter as Gary Taylor
quickly hit a jumper and the Rangers were up 2-0.
Bennett would connect on a three to move the Jr. Bucs in front. Taylor’s
two-pointer was all the Rangers would score in the first while University added
six more for an 8-2 halftime lead.
At the break Coach Snavely said, “they affected our offense, we just stood around
and didn’t execute.”
To start the third, University would go into the stall again holding the ball until there
was only 2:45 left in the third.
Snavely called for his team to go into a man defense, just what the Bucs
wanted. They handled the defense and outscored Uanka 6-4 for a 14-6
lead at the end of the third quarter.
wanted. They handled the defense and outscored Uanka 6-4 for a 14-6
lead at the end of the third quarter.
After a heart to heart talk from Coach Snavely and some soul searching, the Rangers
buckled down on defense in the final period.
They forced the Jr. Bucs into eight turnovers in the quarter.
Tony Reece took over the offense for the Rangers nailing two threes and a two-pointer
for eight points in the quarter.
for eight points in the quarter.
University who had scored with 4:46 to play to build a ten-point
lead look like the game was theirs.
Reece hit a three and then a lay-up to pull Unaka back within five 18-13.
Jason Andes would move Unaka one point closer from the free-throw line, hitting one
of two.
Reece would take control once again hitting a long-range shot for three points and
pulling the Rangers within one 18-17.
pulling the Rangers within one 18-17.
The Bucs could put the game away once again when Jay Hensley headed for the
basket on a wide-open lay-up.
Sometimes fate steps in and on this night, fate would see Hensley miss the easy two-pointer.
Big Jason Brewer pulled down the rebound and Unaka headed the opposite direction.
The Rangers were looking for Mark Revis or Tony Reece to come off the screen but no one
picked up Tester who nailed the final shot of the game lifting the Rangers to a 19-18 big
picked up Tester who nailed the final shot of the game lifting the Rangers to a 19-18 big
conference win.
Unaka hit only 38 percent from the floor and only shot two free throws in the game making
one of them.
The Bucs hit 31 percent while making one of three from the line. Hensley was the leading scored for
University with six.
University with six.
Reece scored eight for Unaka.
