Franklinton senior Raisean Hart hit a game-winning shot as time expired in a 44-42 victory over Salmen at home Tuesday night in District 8-4A competition.
Salmen took a 42-41 lead with 6.8 seconds left when Rashad Gallaspy pulled down an offensive rebound, hit the follow up shot and got fouled to tie the game at 41-41. Gallaspy then hit ensuing free throw to put the Spartans up by one.
Franklinton called timeout and had to go the length of the court. Salmen had two fouls to give and used them both.
The Demons inbounded around halfcourt with 4.6 seconds left. Hart raced upcourt with the ball with time running down, released a 3-pointer for the win and nailed it as time expired.
“I just tried to help my team win,” Hart said.
Franklinton coach Brad Oestriecher talked about the final play.
“I wanted Raisean to attack and I knew he’d come up clutch,” Oestriecher said. “That kid deserves it. He’s worked his tail off. Since the day I stepped on campus, he’s been one of the hardest working kids and he deserves everything he gets.”
Tuesday’s game was close throughout, as neither team had a lead bigger than seven points. Salmen led 20-13 in the first half and Franklinton was up 31-24 and 35-28 in the second half.
The Demons trimmed the 20-13 deficit to 20-18 by halftime. Hart passed to T.Y. Pope for a dunk with 3:19 left in the second quarter out of a timeout to make it a three-point game. Hart, who scored 18 points that included a pair of 3-pointers — the second one being the game-winner, hit from beyond the arc at the 1:32 mark.
The run continued into the second half with the Hart-Pope combo continuing to provide the points. Hart tied the game at the 7:12 mark of the third quarter before Pope, who recorded 21 points and knocked down a 3-pointer, hit a jumper and Hart grabbed a deflected rebound and then drove in for two. Franklinton led 24-20 with 5:11 left in the third quarter.
Salmen’s Carey Holmes ended the 11-0 run when he drove baseline for two and then Keith Sandrock tied the game at 24-24 with 2:33 left by hitting a field goal.
Franklinton countered with seven straight points.
Avant Monie began the run by hitting a shot with 2:23 left. Then, Pope used a spin move for a layup and then he nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 33 seconds left and the Demons were up 31-24.
Salmen closed the gap to five points, when Mosley quickly responded with a bucket to make it 31-26 through three quarters.
Franklinton led 35-28 with 5:28 left and then Salmen came back.
Reese Klein hit for a 3-pointer. Carey Holmes was good on a goal-tended shot to make it 35-33.
Hart drove for two, but Salmen tied the game at 37-37 with 1:59 left when Gallaspy hit two free throws and a layup.
The game went down to the wire and the exciting finish was capped off by Hart beating the buzzer with a game-winning 3-pointer in the 44-42 victory.
Monie and Kian Conerly tallied two-points each for the Demons while Lagarian Bell added one.
Gallaspy led Salmen with 13 points.
Sandrock posted nine points while Holmes and Klein recorded six each, Jaden Williams and Devon Lizana had three each and Mosley added two. Klein hit a pair of threes while Sandrock and Williams made a 3-pointer each.
Franklinton and Salmen have proven to be a competitive matchup over the last few years.
The Demons snapped Salmen’s district winning streak that dated back to the 2007-08 season when they defeated the Spartans, 60-53, on Feb. 4, 2016. The teams split the two-game season series last year and play twice more this season. They play at Salmen on Friday, Feb. 2 and back at Franklinton on Feb. 16.
Franklinton is the only team that has defeated Salmen in district play since the 2007-08 season.
Franklinton is 14-8. Salmen is 16-9 after Tuesday’s game. Franklinton entered the week No. 34 in the unofficial Class 4A LHSAA power rankings while Salmen is 11th.
The following day, Franklinton lost to Lakeshore, 51-42, on the road.
Pope led the Demons with 25 points.
Trequan Charles posted eight and Lorenzo Hart recorded six for Franklinton.
Franklinton trailed 31-11 at halftime.
“It is my job as a coach to have my team ready to play and we weren’t ready to play tonight,” Oestriecher said about the Lakeshore game.