This time, Canton closes out the game with Coventry to win second straight game

Canton’s Grant Lange moves between two defenders to get to the basket in Friday night’s NCCC win over Coventry. (Photo courtesy Paul Amrose)

COVENTRY, January 11 – A week ago, the Canton High boys basketball team dropped a frustrating decision to Coventry in the final seconds of overtime.

This time, the Warriors closed the deal. Canton outscored the Patriots, 11-2 in the final 3:16 of the game to win their second straight game Friday night with a 54-46 victory.

After losing three of four games, Canton went 2-0 this week with a 46-41 win over Granby on Wednesday – handing the Bears their first loss of the year in the NCCC. The Warriors are now 5-3 and 4-2 in the league.

Jack Rose and Grant Lange each a key three-point shot in the final three minutes of the game while Chris Tenczar hit five consecutive free throws to help secure the victory.

Lange finished with 20 points while Rose had 19. Ben Liptrap had 13 points to lead Coventry (3-5).

Thanks to a 13-2 run in the second quarter by Coventry, the Patriots had 26-19 lead at halftime. Canton opened up the third quarter with a 9-3 run to cut the lead to one point, 29-28 but the Patriots closed out the quarter with a 9-2 surge to lead by eight points, 38-30 after three quarters.

Canton’s Jack Rose hit a crucial three-point shot in the final three minutes to lift Canton to their second straight win. (Photo courtesy Paul Amrose)

Again, Canton got off a good start in the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run sparked by five points from Thomas Amrose (three-point shot, steal and layup) and a pair of free throws from Rose.

Coventry led by four points, 41-37 but Rose scored six straight points for Canton with a layup and four free throws to give Canton their first lead, 43-41, since early in the first quarter.

Liptrap’s three-point play with 3:16 remaining gave Coventry a 44-43 advantage but that would be it for the Patriots. Rose drained a three-point shot off a Dugan Lloyd assist with 2:30 remaining to put Canton up by two, 46-44.

Lloyd got another assist when Lange sank a three-point shot with 1:25 left to extend the lead to five points, 49-44. Coventry cut the lead to three with 1:20 remaining but Tenczar hit five consecutive free throws to ice the game for the Warriors.

Coventry did miss their last four shots from the floor – all from three-point range.

Lloyd had a fine effort for the Warriors, sinking two of three field goals, coming down with five rebounds and dishing off three assists – including the two crucial three-point shots in the waning minutes of the contest.

The Warriors return to action on Monday night when they host SMSA (2-7, 1-5 NCCC) at 5:30 p.m at the high school.

Canton 54, Coventry 46
At Coventry
Canton (54) Chris Tenczar 0 5 5, Matthew Rose 0 0 0, Jack Rose 7 4 19, Grant Lange 5 6 20, Dugan Lloyd 2 0 4, Thomas Amrose 2 1 6, Josh Burke 0 0 0. Totals 16 16 54
Coventry (46) DJ Fleming 3 0 9, Jordan Smith 5 0 10, Ben Liptrap 5 1 13, Jordan Jeroszko 5 1 11, Daniel Thompson 1 0 3, John Boutin 0 0 0. Totals 19 2 46
Canton (5-3)         6  13  11  24  — 54
Coventry (3-5)      8  18  12   8 – 46
Three-point goals: Rose (Ca), Lange (Ca) 4, Amrose (Ca); Fleming (Cov), Liptrap (Cov) 2, Thompson (Cov)