by Solon, Ohio – The Garrett Morgan Falcons rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Solon Comets, 69-67.
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair with Solon leading 16-15 after one. The Comets spread the ball around, as four different players each cashed in a triple in the opening frame.
Garrett Morgan delivered on the inside in the second quarter, going to junior forward Darius Chappell, who had 14 of his game high 19 points in the first half. Isiah Hickman also had a late steal and a layup. This gave the Falcons a 38-37 lead going into the halftime break. Sophomore guard Josiah Rowdan-Davis cashed in a pair of triples for the Falcons in the frame as well, matching the Comets’ outside game.
The game stayed tight throughout the third quarter as neither team held more than a five-point lead. Omari Braxton, one of four seniors on the Comet roster, hit a buzzer-beating jumper to end the third quarter. This increased the Solon lead to 56-53.
The Comets took their largest lead of the game when Johnny Kambani hit a runner in the lane, going up 58-53 in the fourth. The Falcons responded with a 15-2 run down the stretch, featuring buckets from Isiah Hickman and Darius Chappell. They also connected from long range three times, with Neshawn Alston scoring a pair of triples and Hickman the other. Alston’s triple put the Falcons ahead 68-60 with 2:14 left.
The Comets trimmed the deficit to 68-64, thanks to a bucket each from Braxton and Kambani. Garrett Morgan split a pair of free throws with 4.9 left to increase their lead to 69-64 and hung on to win the ball game.
The Falcons await their next opponent in the playoffs come Sunday’s tournament draw.
Solon was led by Johnny Kambani, who finished with 22 points, followed by senior Aaron Booze and sophomore Dante Howell each with 13.
The Comets conclude their regular season with a road game at Twinsburg on Tuesday night and Hudson on Thursday night.
Extended highlights below:
