ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF)–It’s been a long time since an Auburn-Guilford boys basketball game meant as much as the one did Wednesday evening at Guilford.
Auburn ame into the game with a 12-0 NIC-10 record. Guilford game in with a 10-2 mark good for second place. A large crowd turned out and they got great action right down to the final second.
The Knights led 29-20 at intermission, but the Vikings used great defensive pressure to turn the third quarter in their favor. Using backcourt pressure and a very effective zone the Vikings had Auburn’s offense bogged down. When the Knights did get some open looks from the perimeter their shots were falling.
Malachi Johnson scored ten of his 17 points in the third quarter for the Vikings. They battle back to take a three point lead.
The fourth quarter was tight all the way. The game was tied 50-50 with 36 seconds to play. Auburn had the ball and worked the clock down. Rob Chaney from out top then penetrated, elevated and knocked down a 14 foot jumper to put the Knights up 52-50 with three seconds to play.
After a timeout Guilford inbounded from the backcourt. Bryson Hodge took a long pass near midcourt and got knocked down in front of the Guilford bench with 1.3 seconds left. A foul was called, but Guilford wasn’t in the bonus yet. So the Vikings had to inbound again. Hodge took the pass and in one motion whirled and heaved up a three-point shot in front of the Guilford bench and it clanked off the rim no good. Had it gone the Vikings would have won by a point. Instead Auburn hung on for a 52-50 win.
The Knights stay undefeated in the NIC-10 at 13-0 with five conference games remaining, and head coach Bryan Ott picked up his 400th career win.
Guilford slips to 10-3. The Vikings are still in second place in the conferece although they’re tied with East and Boylan in the loss column.
