The Shaw Classic on Dec. 29 was eerily similar to the battle Keystone and Amherst nearly two years prior.
In a game that resulted in a 83-75 overtime win for Amherst on Jan. 29, 2022, the Comets repeated history with another 83-75 overtime victory.
Amherst came back after it trailed, 37-28, in the first half to lead, 61-59, in the fourth quarter. David Duziak led the charge with 13 of his 17 points scored in the fourth quarter.
“Every game, (Dudziak) manages to do what he needs to do,” Amherst guard Landen Bray said. “Tonight, he happened to come out in the fourth quarter and do it, which is a great spot to do it in. We know that he can do it every game, and he manages to do it every game.”
Amherst and Keystone head into OT
Comets take a commanding lead.
Dudziak has made an impact in Q4 and OT@KLSD_Sports @MJournalSports pic.twitter.com/7lxRsztLYl
— Mark Perez-Krywany 🤓 (@MarkPerezK10) December 30, 2023
Right when victory seemed to be in Amherst’s hands in regulation, with Keystone guard Grant Hartley (18) fouled out, freshman Liam Goran (32 points) came to score the final two baskets in the final 1:30 of regulation to force overtime.
Goran scores three straight layups for Keystone to lead 21-10@SteeleComets @MJournalSports @KLSD_Sports pic.twitter.com/TGHKFUpQyy
— Mark Perez-Krywany 🤓 (@MarkPerezK10) December 29, 2023
“It felt nice to keep my team in the game and give us a chance (to win),” Goran said.
Keystone’s celebration was temporary. Though it had forced overtime, the loss of Hartley allowed the Comets’ defense to focus solely on Goran. Amherst also had experience in a trailing position and came back against Open Door to win, 59-58.
“I think about our team. Open Door, we are down 13 and all of a sudden, here come these guys,” Amherst Coach Pat Bray said. “Against Orange, we were in a close game. All of a sudden, in the second half, we turned it on. These guys will fight.”
Keystone was in the same position two years prior, but also was unable to make plays down the stretch. The Comets outscored the Wildcats, 16-8, in the overtime period, which included an 8-0 Comets run at the start.
“We have to make plays down the stretch,” Keystone Coach Jeff Holzhauer said. “(Amherst) made plays. They continued to let our guys go around us, we continued to reach from behind and foul with our hands. We didn’t keep them off the boards and we had a bunch of mistakes. They ramped up the pressure and we folded. We’ve done it before and we did it again.”
The Comets had four players reach double-digits, which were also Bray (23), Tristyn Young (15) and Eli Solak (11).
Bray extends Amherst lead to 61-57 in Q4@SteeleComets @MJournalSports @KLSD_Sports pic.twitter.com/SSPuD1Tj1R
— Mark Perez-Krywany 🤓 (@MarkPerezK10) December 30, 2023
Keystone outscored Amherst, 14-10, in the first quarter. After the Comets scored the first two field goals, Keystone went on a 14-2 run. Hartley and Goran combined for 13 of its 14 points in the first quarter.
Amherst started the season 3-0, but endured a roller coaster four-game stretch that resulted in a 5-2 record (1-1 in SWC). The Comets have won four consecutive games against Keystone. The Wildcats’ last win against Amherst was in December 2014.
Keystone dropped its second straight game, which included a 57-56 loss to Norwalk. Prior to that, the Wildcats were on a four-game winning streak.
This was the last game of the 2023 year for both teams, as they each head back into their respective conferences. Amherst will host Avon Lake on Jan. 5 and Keystone will take on Columbia on Jan. 5 as well.
Coach Bray was happy with the win, but he wants the Comets to play a full 32 minutes. Amherst guard and star cornerback on the gridiron, Ashton Draga, will be a big part of seeing that through.
“I walked in right after the game and I heard Ashton (Draga) say, ‘Guys, great game, but we have to get better in the first half,” Coach Bray said. “That is what he is thinking about how great we were in the second half. He was thinking how in the first half, we didn’t play well.”
THE SCORE
Amherst 83, Keystone 75
