SENIOR JEROME Ciarkowski, who found a seam to put up a jumper last Friday against Mio, scored the game-winning shot Tuesday with 19 seconds left. The team is at Fairview Friday. (Photo by Peter Jakey)
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by Peter Jakey--
Managing Editor--
There have been some close road games this season, but Tuesday the Posen boys treated the hometowns fans to a down-to-the- wire win.
Jerome Ciarkowski’s basket with 19 seconds left in the fourth put the Vikings on top, 56-55. The defense did the rest with 8.7 seconds left.
Moments before, Au Gres, who took the Vikings to overtime in the first meeting, went out in front with a three-point play by Connor Pendred with 34.7 seconds left.
David Kerr’s jumper was short on the ensuing possession, but Ciarkowski was in on the rebound and the officials called jump ball. The possession arrow luckily was pointing in Posen’s direction and Nathan Lenard found Ciarkowski with some open space.
Ciarkowski drove toward the basket and put in a running jumper that fell in and the crowd erupted.
“It was kind of a reaction,” said Ciarkowski. “I had missed four and wasn’t on. I did a quick move and then went towards the basket.”
Assistant coach Brad Kruczynski, filling in for head coach Steve Hentkowski, who was attending to a family matter, reminded his club that they had a foul to give with 8.7 seconds left.
Lenard fouled Pendred when he got the ball and with 2.2 seconds a half-court shot by Pendred missed the mark to give Kruczynski his first varsity win.
“It was good for coach, because this was his first game,” said Kerr. “It was pretty nice for him.”
“I wasn’t nervous,” said Kruczynski when asked about the undefeated conference record being on the line at the end of the game. “If you told me I would have had to play today, I would have felt the pressure. We have a veteran ballclub and they know what to do.”
Kerr had a team-high 22 points and Ciarkowski put in 16.
“We’ve got a good point guard who knows the plays,” said Kruczynski. “He gets the ball to the right people in the right places.”
LENARD STARTED the game with the first four points, but the Wolverines came back to take a 6-5 lead.
Kerr gave Posen the lead back on a pretty pass by Tyler Kuffel, who is usually known for his rebounding ability, and had 10 in the game.
Kuffel scored on a put back and Kerr would fire in a jumper for an 11-8 lead.
Threes by Nick Hincka and Lucas Litwinski padded the lead at seven (17-10) at the end of the first. Hincka’s shot dropped in with 2.5 seconds left.
The gap got bigger with a 6-0 run. Ciarkowski’s free throws near the end of the first half gave the Vikes a 12-point lead, but a long Au Gres field goal at the buzzer was a foreshadowing of the tide turning in the third.
The Wolverines went on a 8-2 run to start the third and Kruczynski was forced to call a timeout and try and preserve the lead, but they couldn’t stop Pendred, who scored 10 of the next 12 Au Gres points.
Sandwiched in the scoring barrage was a spectacular play by Kerr, who drove for a layup and switched hands in midair to convert the points. He also would get the first dunk of his career off a Hincka steal.
“It was my first in a game,” said Kerr. “I was pretty excited, actually. It’s the first time I actually tried it in a game. It wasn’t a complete slam, but I made sure it went in.” The points were needed as it gave Posen a five-point lead with less than four minutes left.
Pendred’s three with 1:42 left put the Wolverines up 52-51 and it appeared as if Hincka’s three with 48 seconds left would be the game-winner, but it just set up the final plays of an exciting game.
“I have the highest winning percentage in Posen history,” Kruczynski joked after the game. “I’ll go out on top.”
Hentkowski was on the sideline last Friday as the Vikings blasted Mio (6-3), 58-36. The game wasn’t that close.
“It was a great defensive effort for all four quarters,” said Hentkowski.
Posen jumped out to a 21-4 lead and didn’t let up.
Kerr torched the net with 25, while Ciarkowski had 16.
THE JUNIOR varsity (3-10, 3-6) got some help and won 59-43. The roster had shrunk to five because of injury, so junior Warren Beach and Jonathan Seidel were asked to join the squad and made impacts right away.
Beach had 12 points and 10 rebounds. John Zaborney led all-scorers with 18 and pulled down 15 rebounds.
Matthew Wisniewski had 12, while Travis Sharpe finished with 10. They were 24-for-33 from the free-throw line.
With only five players, the Vikings lost 44-20. Zaborney had six points and 10 rebounds. Before that they lost to Hillman (70-27) and Brimley (50-32). Sharpe had a combined 23 in the games.
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