Bay City Takes Tournament Lead With Two-Point Victory Over Cardinals

Dec 2, 2012

 

CHARLOTTESVILLE–After knocking off the 8th-ranked Shepherd Stealers 52-51 on Saturday morning the Bay City Thunder won a lock on first place at the 12th Annual Herman Key, Jr. Memorial Holiday Tournament by toppling the 14th-ranked Charlottesville Cardinals 43-41 on Saturday afternoon.

Both the Cardinals and the Thunder entered the afternoon showdown undefeated and the game quickly became a defensive slug fest as neither team was able to develop any sort of offensive rhythm.   After the first twenty minutes Bay City managed a hard fought 20-16 advantage which they expanded to an eight-point lead with ten minutes left in the game.  But the Cardinals rallied behind Mike Looney’s ten second half points and took a 35-34 lead when Charlottesville’s Brandon Rush hit a clutch free throw with 1:44 to play.

 

But Rush fouled out twenty seconds later and Bay City’s Tommie Grey put the Thunder back on top to stay, 36-35, with 55 seconds to go.  The Cardinals closed to 42-41 with four seconds remaining but that was as close as they would get as Bay City’s Trevon Jenifer added a free shot to the final 43-41 tally with one second to go.  Mike Looney led Cardinals’ scorers with 15 points and Bay City’s Charles McDonald led all scorers with 16.

In their Saturday morning game the Cardinals shut down the Maryland Ravens 78-42.  Mike Looney led Cardinals’ scorers with 25, followed by Eddie Wimbish with 12, Tom Vandever with 11, and Chris Robinson 10.

The Cardinals’ late afternoon game pitted them against the 16th-ranked Charlotte Rollin’ Bobcats.  After falling behind at the half 24-23, Charlottesville resorted to a second half pressing defense and took a 43-37 lead with six minutes to play.  The Bobcats battled back to cut the margin to 50-48 with under two minutes left but the Cardinals held on for a 54-50 win.  Mike Looney again led Cardinals’ scorers with 19 points, followed by Brandon Rush with 16 and Chris Robinson with 11.

The Cardinals are now 3-1 in the tournament and will face the 3-1 Shepherd Stealers on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.  for second place.  Bay City has already sewed up first place and will take on the Richmond Rimriders at 8:30 a.m.