NTL BOYS BASKETBALL: BABCOCK'S BUCKET AT BUZZER CAPS ATHENS' COME-FROM-BEHIND, 54-52, WIN OVER STATE-RANKED BLUE RIDGE (24 PHOTOS) (2023-12-12)

Valley Sports Report
ATHENS - Junior Jase Babcock only scored two points, but it may have been the biggest bucket of his young career — a putback at the buzzer to give Athens its only lead, and cap a come-from-behind 54-52 win over state-ranked Blue Ridge here Tuesday night in non-league boys basketball action.

"I am very proud of our kids’ heart and no-quit mentality," said Athens coach Jim Lister.

Blue Ridge, ranked 8th in the state, scored the first 16 points of the game, and held the Wildcats scoreless for more than 9 minutes to start the game.

Senior Nicholas Jacob off an assist from Babcock netted Athens’ first bucket of the game, and scored seven points, including a 3-pointer, in a 9-3 Wildcat spurt that closed the gap to 19-9 with 3 1/2 minutes remaining in the first half.

After a bucket by the Raiders made it 21-9, senior Connor Mosher scored the next four points, including an old-fashioned three-point play, to spark a 9-0 blitz that trimmed the deficit to 21-18 with 50 seconds remaining in the half.

The Raiders used a 7-0 run that bridged the second and third quarters to up their advantage to 28-18 with 6 minutes remaining in the third quarter, and eventually stretched their lead to 40-24 four minutes later.

Junior Troy Rosenbloom scored on an offensive rebounds with 1:45 remaining, and Jacob canned a 3-pointer moments later to make it 41-29.

Buckets by Mosher, and sophomore Nick Grazul, and a pair of free throws by Mosher in the closing seconds capped a third quarter-ending 9-0 run that closed the gap to 41-35 entering the final eight minutes.

A pair of free throws by Grazul early in the final stanza trimmed the deficit to 41-37, and Blue Ridge maintained a four- to seven-point lead until a bucket with 2 1/2 minutes remaining gave the Raiders a 50-41 lead.

Three-pointers by Mosher, and senior Korey Miller on consecutive possession cut the lead to 50-47, but a pair Blue Ridge free throws pushed the lead back to 52-47 with 1 minute remaining.

A free throw by Mosher, a putback by Grazul, and a bucket by Mosher, off an assist from Rosenbloom with 15 seconds remaining tied the game at 52-52.

After Athens forced a Blue Ridge turnover, a potential game-winner was off-the-mark, but Babcock rebounded the miss and hit the game-winner as time expired.

Mosher led Athens with 17 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, four steals, and one blocked shot, and Jacob scored a career-high 17 points, including a trio of 3-pointers.

Grazul had nine points, and five rebounds in the win, while Rosenbloom had six points and four boards, and Babcock added five rebounds, four assists, and five blocked shots.



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