Rams Hold Off Late Bomber Rally

The setting and final score could not have been any better for MICDS senior Foster Bundy.

The guard started the game and finished it as his Rams defeated John Burroughs 48-41 Friday night in the Coaches vs. Cancer Paint It Pink game at MICDS.

"This is just awesome," Bundy said. "I was so anxious before the game. It was just a great atmosphere to play in. I know all those guys at Burroughs and have been going to camps with them since I was seven or eight. To beat them in both football and basketball is special. And we have one more game at Washington U. which will be just as big if not bigger."

As the score would indicate, it was a defensive struggle through most of the game. The Rams held John Burroughs to single digit points in the first three quarters yet still led by only three at 19-16 at halftime.

MICDS started the second half strong after Bomber standout Foye Oluokun opened the half with a basket to pull his team to within a point. Bundy and Rashad Lindsey followed with consecutive 3-pointers.

The Rams would never give up the lead the rest of the way. They led by 10 after three quarters and would lead by as many as 12 before John Burroughs made a late rally.

Ezekiel Elliott hit a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, the last coming with 1:11 to play to make it a one possession game at 44-41. But MICDS senior Thomas Militello hit four consecutive free throws to ice the game. The Rams converted nine of their 12 tries from the line in the fourth quarter.

It was an entirely different story from the line for Burroughs.

"We were eight for 18 from the line for the game and you are not going to win tight games like that," Bomber coach Steve Wilcutt said. "We defended well and I would have been very happy before the game if you told me we would give up 48 points.

"But they are very long at every position and made it tough for us offensively although there is no defense when you are at the line."

Lindsey had 14 points to lead three Rams in double figures. Militello added 12 and Robin Thompson had 10.

"We didn't do anything great tonight but we were solid throughout," MICDS coach Matt Hixenbaugh said. "We did what we wanted to do on defense and made them work for their points. We made some good team stops and got those big baskets in the third quarter which gave us the let.

"The people came out for a good cause and I was glad that we were able to rise to the occasion and play well in this environment."

Oluokun led all scorers with 15 points. Elliott added 10, eight of them coming in the fourth quarter.

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