TF South rallied in the final minutes to defeat Thornton 46-45 in a closely contested Big Dipper Tournament matchup.
According to the game report, the Red Wolves took a 17-7 lead after the first quarter and appeared to have control of the game. However, turnovers and unforced errors allowed Thornton to capitalize, outscoring TF South 25-7 in the second quarter to take a 32-24 lead at halftime.
The third quarter proved challenging for TF South, as Thornton maintained an 8-point lead at 40-32. Nevertheless, TF South mounted a comeback in the final period. With timely defensive stops and key baskets from Rashad Peeples, Amari Dukes, and Nick Ford, TF South closed the gap and took their first lead since the second quarter.
The game came down to the wire. With 9 seconds remaining, Dukes hit a crucial mid-range jumper from the short corner to put TF South ahead. Thornton had one last chance, advancing the ball to midcourt and calling a timeout with 5 seconds left. The ensuing drive by Thornton’s point guard was contested by TF South’s defense, and Dukes secured the rebound to seal the win.
Dukes led TF South with 17 points, while Peeples added 12, and Ford contributed 10. The victory improves TF South’s record to 7-6 and sends them to the consolation championship tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. against Thornwood. This matchup was not originally scheduled because both Hammond Morton and Bishop Noll from Indiana will not be present due to a state law prohibiting games on Sundays.
