The lineups looked unlikely when the Newton County High School Steelworkers warmed up in the cavernous domed stadium of the Ritztown High School Martin Luther King Day weekend tournament. Across the court the Zigfried Bees stood imposing like a semipro team, complete with a LeBron James look-alike and a point guard quicker than any player on the NCHS roster.
Fortunately Newton County's early passing game took advantage of their defensive overplay, resulting in several backdoor cuts for layups. Meanwhile Reed Morbooks kept LeBron at bay, and the big man picked up three early fouls that leveled the playing field.
Just before half time the Workers found themselves trailing by five when they Bert Watcher grabbed the ball from a scrum near half court. His buzzer beater from 50 feet exploded like a gunshot as it banged off the backboard and through the net.
The Bees showed no outside shooting ability as the NCHS defense sealed off the lane and the baseline. The man-child fouled out with several minutes left to play having made little impact, and the determined visitors from 150 miles south nursed a slim lead in the waning seconds. An isolation play near the top of the key was thwarted by Cary Mayl, and a desperation trey was off the mark to preserve the signature victory.
Key to the game was the Steelworkers' robust free throw shooting, nailing 19 of 22.
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"Free throw shooting is the first tie breaker by tournament rules," explained assistant coach Joe McDonald. "With six teams and four games apiece, it's possible to have multiple undefeated teams. We're aiming to be one of them."
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