Late free throws help Eastside hold off Hawthorne

HAWTHORNE — With just seconds remaining, Hawthorne quickly pushed the ball up the floor and Dre Lawrence pulled up for a jumper Friday. The shot rolled around the rim and then out, allowing Eastside to escape with a 62-61 boys basketball win.

Omar Brown, who scored a game-high 27 points, missed a one-and-one free throw with 9.5 seconds left that gave the Hornets one final opportunity.

Hawthorne jumped out to a quick 9-0 early lead before back-to-back jumpers by Brown finally settled the Rams down.

“We started in a hole, but clawed our way back in it, defense made a couple of shots and Hawthorne was ready to play tonight,” Eastside head coach Pop Williams. “They had bunch of young kids out there scoring and that kind of helped them, they played a lot physical tonight too.”

Ben Davis hit two three pointers off the bench to cut the lead to 20-17 early in the second quarter to start a rally for the Rams.

“First half we weren’t penetrating a lot, we were kind of taking a lot of jump shots and we started finally taking it inside and we got some confidence in ourselves as well,” Williams added.

Jarveil Gainey intercepted a Hawthorne pass and then coasted to a dunk as part of a 12-4 run to tie the game at 29-all. Quay Brodus and Gainey followed with jumpers to give the Rams a surprising 33-30 halftime lead.

After a Brown layup that gave the Rams their biggest lead at eight (55-47), the Hornets went on a 8-0 run themselves to tie the game again at 55-all. Johnquavis Jones, Yarnell McCray and CJ Ingram took over in the fourth quarter for the Hornets by sparking the quick run that tied the game.

Ingram’s jumper tied the game at 59-all with less than a minute and half left.

However, Brown drove the lane and scored and also made the ensuing free throw for a 62-59 lead with 1:17 left.

Jones made both free throws after being fouled inside the post to cut the lead to 62-61 with 1:05 left.

Both teams turned the ball over in the final minute to set up the dramatic ending.

Brown led the Rams with 27 points, while Gainey added 12 points.

Jones and McCray led the Hornets with 16 points apiece, while Ingram chipped in 10.

Eastside (18-1), which extended its winning streak to 15 in a row, will travel to Gainesville for a Feb. 5 game to end the regular season, while Hawthorne (9-7) will end its regular season at home Tuesday against P.K. Yonge.