BB - LAST MINUTE HEROICS LEAD ATTICA PAST COVINGTON IN TOURNEY OPENER

CAYUGA:  Attica player Devin Foster's sectional game started great and
got better. He made 4 of 4 shots in the first quarter and hit the game-winning three-pointer to defeat Covington, 42-39.

With less than 30 seconds remaining, Attica inbounded the ball trailing by one point. Attica almost lost the ball on an errant pass. Foster
received a pass and made a three off the side of the key for a
two-point lead. After two missed Covington three-point attempts and an Attica free throw, Attica had a three-point victory. Attica’s sectional win, the first for any player on their roster, pits them against Rockville in Friday’s Sectional 56 semifinal at North
Vermillion.

The Ramblers started the game decisively, making their first eight
shots and two free throws. Their first miss came in the closing seconds of the first quarter. Attica coach Chuck Hutchins credited his team not just with hot shooting but defensive intensity. The Ramblers’ first miss, however, triggered a 3-for-12 shooting slump until halftime.

Covington began to climb back in the game, outscoring
Attica by seven in the third quarter. The lead changed hands eight times before Foster’s game-winning three-pointer.

Senior Josh Crain led the Trojans with 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting and three three-pointers. “You’ve really got to tip your hat to Josh Crain”. Covington coach Kent Chezem said. He’s a kid we ask to do so much; handle the ball, lead, and we still like to find time for him to score a little.”

Sam Guerra and Joe Ferguson both had eight points. Ferguson was
dangerous on second-chance shots off offensive rebounds, Hutchins said. “We've got some big kids, and that’s something we talked about a
ton,” he said. “Ferguson’s tough to box out”.

Rockville defeated North Vermillion in the second game Tuesday 70-42 in a physical, fast-paced match-up. Rockville’s Matt King led the Rox with 19 while R.J. Mahurin added 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.
Attica and Rockville play at 6 p.m. Friday at North Vermillion. Turkey
Run and Riverton Parke play in the later bye game. Winners of the two
games advance to the sectional final at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

ATTICA 42, COVINGTON 39
Attica (42)
Foster 8-15, 2-2, 19; Collison 5-7, 0-0, 10; Little 3-4, 2-4, 9;
Mattern 2-4, 0-0, 4; Gilmore 0-2, 0-0, 0; Rooze 0-2, 0-0, 0; Gates 0-0,
0-0, 0. TOTALS – FG: 18-35, FT: 4-7, TP: 42.
Covington (39)
Crain 4-8, 2-3, 13; Guerra 4-7, 0-0, 8; Ferguson 4-5, 0-3, 8; Whitfield
2-4, 0-0, 4; Dennis 0-3, 2-4, 2; Cotton 1-3, 0-0, 2; Knecht 1-1, 0-0,
2; Barker 0-0, 0-0, 0; Willis 0-0, 0-0, 0; Ford 0-1, 0-0, 0. TOTALS –
FG: 16-35, FT: 4-11, TP: 39.
Three-point shooting – Attica 2-4 (Foster, Little 1), Covington 3-9
(Crain 3). Rebounds: Attica 22 (Little 6), Covington 24 (Whitfield 4).