Bloodhounds fade in upset bid

HELMICK STANDS OUT

Lucas Helmick, my goodness, he played his ass off tonight. He played well, knocked shots down, was active. That’s the Lucas Helmick I’ve wanted all season.”

Ryan Wilson, FMHS Head Coach

FORT MADISON - Time was on the side of Fort Madison’s boys basketball team, even if the score wasn’t.
And then Bloodhounds coach Ryan Wilson saw the last 1 minute, 40 seconds of Friday’s game disappear.
The 57-52 home loss stung Wilson more than few others had.
“I’ve never been so frustrated in my life,” Wilson said. “One minute and 40 seconds, and we couldn’t get a rebound.”
Burlington, leading 54-52, took three shots in that closing stretch, missing them and then getting a rebound. Finally, the Bloodhounds had to foul, then watched Keyshawn Wyldon miss both free throws with 10 seconds left. And even the rebound on the second miss went to the Grayhounds.
The exclamation point on the aggravation came as Burlington was passing the ball around to avoid another foul. The ball got to Zach Hart, who put up a 3-pointer that of course went in before the buzzer sounded.
“That’s just absolutely infuriating, to not get a rebound,” Wilson said. “Five of them, four of them, whatever it was. And then we can’t get the rebound on the missed free throws.”
The Bloodhounds (2-13 overall, 1-7 Southeast Conference) erased a 14-point first-quarter deficit and led 50-47 with 4:02 remaining after a 3-pointer from freshman Jonah Tackett. Burlington (8-6, 6-2) tied the game 22 seconds later on Kobe Edmunds’ 3-pointer.
The Grayhounds forced a quick turnover and Jett Morris was fouled. He made the second of two free throws to put Burlington in front.
Fort Madison took its last lead with 3:06 remaining on Lucas Helmick’s layup, then Burlington’s Michael Kantzavelos gave the Grayhounds the lead with a 3-pointer with 1:58 to go, his only points of the night.
The Bloodhounds had a chance to either tie or take the lead, but missed two quick shots. Wilson’s hope was to get a stop and the rebound, and it didn’t happen.
“Just a rebound,” he said. “One minute and 40 seconds to go, and we just need one rebound for the opportunity to tie the game or maybe take the lead, whatever, and we couldn’t get it done.”
The Bloodhounds trailed 21-7 at the end of the first quarter, then went on a 14-0 run.
“Fourteen stops in a row,” Wilson said. “We tied it up. That’s good that we can fight and we can get ourselves out of the hole, but why are we in a hole to begin with?”
Helmick and Darius Foy led Fort Madison with 15 points each.
“Lucas Helmick, my goodness, he played his ass off tonight,” Wilson said. “He played well, knocked shots down, was active. That’s the Lucas Helmick I’ve wanted all season.”
Morris led the Grayhounds with 19 points. Edmunds had 13, as did C.J. Chandler.
Fort Madison plays host to Pella Saturday morning.