Frazier knocks off Cal in overtime

The Commodores won the extra period, 17-9, for a dramatic 66-58 win over the Trojans.

Both Frazier and California boys’ basketball teams are at the bottom of the Section 1-2A standings.

To some outsiders, the game might have meant nothing. But both teams did not play like it was nothing.

With a natural rivalry, plus all the emotions of senior night, the Commodores and the Trojans fought for 32 minutes and actually needed four more minutes to decide a winner.

Frazier showcased its aggressiveness on offense, and took full advantage of being in the bonus, as it outscored California 17-9 in overtime to pull out a dramatic 66-58 victory Friday night.

“We knew tonight was going to be a fight,” Frazier coach Zach Keefer said. “We have lost our fair share of close games this season, so I was proud of our kids on how they handled the adversity tonight and how they were able to close out this win as a team. They stuck together.”

The triumph snapped a sixgame losing streak for the Commodores (4-15, 2-10), as they swept the regular season series against their Mon Valley rival with a 67-43 home win Jan. 8.

Kolby Stewart poured in 24 points, 10 of which were in the extra session, for Frazier.

“He made big time plays in that overtime for a freshman,” Keefer said. “He, as well as our whole team, grew up tonight. He got to the foul line and he was able to make some plays on some long inbound passes.” Conlan Higbee (16) and Dailan McManus (15) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the visitors.

Jacob Ziolecki led all scorers in the contest with 28 points for the Trojans (2-15, 0-11). The senior guard did most of his damage in the fourth and overtime periods with 15 points. Caden Monticelli was also in double-figures with 12 points.

“We are getting better,” Cal coach Brent Baker said. “I love the fight and our kids were engaged with our game plan. Turnovers killed us and we were too rushed on offense in that overtime period. But we honored our six seniors and I think the emotions of senior night helped us out.”

Cal was trailing by four points to start the fourth quarter before Ziolecki started his scoring barrage with seven consecutive points. The home team added another basket by Vinny Manzella that gave it a 46-41 lead.

After Frazier scored the next four points, Monticelli pounded an interior hoop in for a 48-45 lead with 1:36 left in regulation. Just 20 seconds later, Stewart drained a pair of foul shots and then on the next Commodores’ possession, Higbee delivered with a putback hoop for a 49-48 advantage.

Both teams traded timeouts in the waning seconds and Cal had the ball when Monticelli was fouled under the basket with less than a second left.

After he missed the first foul shot and after the visitors called a timeout to ice the senior, Monticelli calmly sunk the ensuing free throw to send the game into overtime.

With the Commodores in the bonus to start overtime, the visitors went downhill to the basket and got foul shots in the opening two minutes of the extra period. Frazier went 6-for-8 at the charity stripe for the first points of overtime and built a 55-49 lead.

Monticelli broke the scoreless drought for Cal with a foul shot, but Frazier regrouped with the next six points for a 61-50 edge. Ziolecki hit a pair of treys for the Trojans, sandwiched around a hoop by Stewart. The Commodores secured the road win by scoring four of the final six points.

“Both teams were playing hard and both teams earned the right to play an extra period,” Keefer said. “We started OT in the bonus, and we wanted to be aggressive and attack the hoop. We did the little things in OT and hit our free throws. I knew this was going to be a close game.”

Frazier was 10 for 12 at the line in the overtime period.

Cal garnered an early 4-3 lead in the beginning stages of the game, but Frazier rebounded with a 6-3 spurt. The visitors then closed out the first quarter with a 6-4 spree to form a 15-11 lead.

The Commodores opened the second stanza with an 8-2 rally, before Ziolecki was able to cut the deficit down to 23-18 with back-to-back buckets for the home team.

“Jacob has been shooting the lights out these last handful of games,” Baker said. “He is a great athlete and I think with him it’s all about confidence. I think he can play at the next level. He can shoot the three and he has a good start-stop move going to the hoop.”

Manzella garnered the next hoop to make it 23-20, but Frazier responded with a 9-1 spree that gave them a 32-22 advantage at halftime. Threes by McManus and Higbee jumpstarted the run.

After the squads split the first eight points of the third frame, Cal started their comeback and ended the third with an 11-5 run that brought Frazier’s lead down to 41-37 at the end of three.

“We were way passive on offense the last time we played Frazier,” Baker said. “Tonight, we played with a lot of energy in that first quarter and were driving to the basket a lot more. We also played solid defense and were able to close out for rebounds. Our effort was there tonight.”

Both teams will have a busy final week and it starts Monday, as Cal travels to Springdale for a Section 1-2A matchup and Frazier ventures out to non-section foe Brownsville.

“Cal threw a lot of zone and junk defenses at us tonight,” Keefer said. “We had to make the adjustments. It was a solid game plan by Coach Baker. We had the size advantage with our two bigs tonight and I thought we took advantage of that. We got three games left, and in our eyes why not try to play spoiler and try to end the season on a positive note.”