RallyNorth.net

Fri, Dec 21, 2007 06:30 PM @ Rockport

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Amesbury	8	12	14	11	45
Rockport	14	11	7	10	42

Rockport drops heartbreaker to Amesbury

Saturday, December, 22 By Rich Slate
Staff writer

When your team lacks size in basketball, there's only so many ways to scheme and try to compensate. More times than not, height wins out in this game. The Rockport boys basketball experienced another painful chapter in that lesson as they lost to CAL foe Amesbury, 45-42 on Friday.

The Vikings (0-3) led by five at the half (25-20) but couldn't find a way to consistently stop Indians 6-foot-4 senior center Jameson Wheeler (20 points, 10 rebounds). Rockport jumped out to a 14-8 lead after the first quarter as senior guard Cory Emerson led the way with six points while sophomore forward Josh Altman and junior forward Mike Akers each chipped in with four points.

After being held scoreless in the first frame, Wheeler woke up in the second quarter in a big way: scoring 10 of his team's 12 points.

The second half was a back and forth affair as the Indians doubled up the Vikings, 14-7 in the third quarter. Amesbury took the lead back at 30-29 with 3:24 left in the third. Rockport junior forward Dave Campbell made a steal, hit a layup and got fouled in the process. He made the ensuing free throw.

Both teams struggled to hold the lead in the fourth quarter. Wheeler hit a jumper to put his team back up one then Akers made a basket and got fouled. He missed the free throw though, as he started off 0 for 6 at the line before making three of his last four.

Rockport junior forward Christopher Fritz-Grace made two big plays on the defensive end. First he took a charge then later knocked a loose ball of an Amesbury player.

Rockport was down one point with the shot clock turned off. Akers went to drive but dribbled it off his foot and lost it. Amesbury junior guard Billy Medvitz grabbed the ball, was fouled and converted both free throws to ice it.

Rockport had one last chance but Emerson was fouled before he could get a tying 3-pointer off. He missed both free throws, the second shot intentionally, but time ran out on his team.

Akers finished with a team-high 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists while Campbell (10 points, 3 rebounds) and Emerson (9 points, 2 assists, 2 steals) were the other bright spots.