Cuyahoga Falls Boys Rally Past Solon in Overtime

Ryan Yesberger's clutch plays in overtime helped the boys basketball team to an exciting 62-60 win over visiting Solon on Tuesday night.

His heroics wouldn't have been possible without a pass from freshman Josh Ricker to senior Kyle Rospert for a basket at the end of regulation that tied the score at 56.

The victory was particularly sweet for coach Rob Slone, who has lamented the Black Tigers' inability to close out games.

"Right now it does," Slone said when asked if the win erased some of the  heartbreaking losses.

Cuyahoga Falls improved to 5-11 while Solon dropped to 6-11.

"It's about time we got a big win," said Yesberger, a junior who finished with 14 points. Cory Asbury led the Black Tigers with 17. His three 3-pointers in the third quarter helped Cuyahoga Falls get back into the game.

Yesberger made the play of the game, though. He stole a cross-court pass and drove the length of the court to score. Fouled on the play with 1:11 remaining, he also made the free throw for a 59-58 lead.

"I read (the passer's) eyes and jumped almost before he threw the ball," Yesberger said. "Their guy blocked my way, trying to draw a charge, but I went to my left and around him. Then Kyle came up and said, 'You better make this free throw.' I missed one earlier and I wasn't happy that I did."

Battered and bloodied, Solon refused to give in. The Comets lost senior guard Christian Jackson to a sprained ankle in the first half. Then Nate Brillhart left with a bloody nose after Yesberger's key basket.

Solon coach Sean Fisher was unhappy that he got no explantion from the officials, who called the Comets' Brandon Marshall for a foul and said nothing about what happened to Brillhart.

"Something happened there," Fisher said. "His nose didn't just start bleeding on its own. But the blame is not on the refs. It's on us. We didn't take care of the ball. We threw it away too much. It's the fourth game in a row we've blown a lead by turning the ball over."

The Comets managed to go back ahead anyway as Chris Cromity sank a 15-foot jumper with 53.7 seconds left to make it 60-59.

Cuyahoga Falls couldn't penetrate the Comets' defense for 30 seconds, so Slone called time to set up a play for Yesberger down low. Yesberger missed a short jumper, got the rebound and put it in for a 61-60 lead. He was fouled and made the free throw, too, with 9.8 seconds left.

"Ryan typically does go strong to the basket," Slone said. "He did a great job tonight attacking the glass. When he went after the ball, he made a difference."

Marshall drove to the baseline and misfired from six feet as the Black Tigers ran onto the court to celebrate.

Solon led at halftime 29-23, having taken advantage of 15 first-half turnovers by Cuyahoga Falls.

Ashbury buried a trey to open the second half. After DeAndre Payton scored on a putback for the Comets, Asbury hit two more 3-pointers to give the Black Tigers a 32-31 lead.

"When he steps into his shot, Cory is as fluid a shooter as anybody," Slone said. "He did a heck of a job in that quarter."

The Black Tigers eventually opened their largest lead at 53-47 with 3:06 remaining in regulation.

Solon refused to give in. Payton, who led the Comets with 16 points, scored on a layup. The 6-foot-3 senior had a chance to get the Comets a little closer seconds later, but missed two free throws. Marshall stole a pass, however, and hit a 3-pointer to get Solon within 53-52 with 1:49 to play in the fourth quarter.

One minute later, Marshall pilfered the ball again, was fouled and made both free throws for a 54-53 lead. After another Cuyahoga Falls turnover, the Comets' Cromity split two free throws with 19.7 seconds left to make it 55-53.

Yesberger was fouled with six seconds left and felt the pressure of trying to tie the score. He missed his first shot, but made the second to bring the Black Tigers within a point and Cuyahoga falls fouled Cromity on the inbounds play. Cromity split a pair of free throws, putting Solon ahead 56-54.

Ricker then found Rospert running full tilt down the court and hit the senior in stride. Rospert laid the ball in just before the buzzer went off, forcing a 56-56 tie.

"Ricker's only a freshman, but when I saw the ball in his hands, I knew we were OK," Slone said. "He has a knack for the game. He can see things and he can pass. That was a huge play."

Just one of many by the Black Tigers, who will have little time to sit back and enjoy it.

"We have about 20 hours," Slone said. "Then we've got to get ready to play four games in seven days."

Earlier, Henry Shaw scored 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to lead Cuyahoga Falls' JV team to a 45-38 win. The Black Tigers trailed after three quarters, 26-20. Tyler Woods scored all eight of his points in the final quarter to team with Shaw to lead the comeback.