(Anita) ACGC opened up a smidge of breathing room with a 10-2 finish to the first half and survived a close one at CAM Thursday night. The Chargers led by five throughout much of the fourth quarter, but saw CAM claw back within 46-44 in the final couple of minutes. Brock Littler’s free-throw shooting sealed a 50-44 ACGC win.
Littler came up with 4/5 free-throw shooting in the 4th quarter and also made a big play defensively with a five second closely guarded call to take away an opportunity for CAM. Head coach Lance Kading says, “The kid is a closer. He’s a competitor. He’s worked his tail off on JV all year and has never complained. That’s the kind of competitor I want out on the floor in the 4th quarter.”
Eli Kading carried the offense in the first half on his way to an 18 point night. Lucas Marsh added 8. Coach Kading admits there was a conscious effort to run things through his two seniors on offense. The opening dozen minutes were as tight as could be. The first quarter saw six lead changes with ACGC up 12-10 through one. Four more lead changes occurred in the 2nd quarter before Miles Kading and Ben Marsh connected on some timely three’s to help ACGC gain some momentum. The visitors went from down one at 17-16, to up seven at 26-19 by closing out the 1st half well.
The Chargers scored the first four points of the 2nd half to push the lead to double figures. CAM didn’t go away. The Cougars used a 6-0 stretch to get right back in the game. They’d get within 36-34 by the end of the 3rd. Colby Rich and Connor McKee were the home team’s go-to players offensively while Ethan Arp, Lane Spieker, and Seth Hensley all connected on three’s in the 2nd half to keep CAM in the game. Rich tallied 15 on the night and McKee scored 10.
CAM on three different occasions in the 4th quarter were within two points, but ACGC never relinquished the lead. Clayton Wardyn hit two 3’s in the 2nd half when the Chargers needed a boost and Littler also drained a clutch triple. ACGC improves to 10-3 on the year. CAM slips to 5-6.
