Tigers come up big at the line, hold off Bubblers in 4A quarterfinal
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The Fleetwood Tigers didn’t earn the No. 2 seed in the District 3 Class 4A tournament on the strength of their free throw shooting, that’s for sure.
They opened tournament play making just 50 percent from the foul line for the season, with just one starter hitting better than 60 percent.
The free throw line was a friend to the Tigers Friday night as they hit eight fourth-quarter free throws and six straight in the final two minutes to hold off seventh-seeded Boiling Spring 53-46 in a quarterfinal at Fleetwood.
Fleetwood trailed just once, 44-43 with 3:41 to remaining. The Tigers ended the game on a 10-2 run.
The Tigers (20-3) advance to the semifinals Tuesday against No. 6 Big Springs, a 56-51 winner at No. 3 Littlestown.
The Tigers’ five senior starters will get a chance to play one final game on their home court, and at least three more games together. Friday’s win clinched a second straight PIAA Tournament berth.
Aiden Soumas scored 16 points to lead a balanced scoring attack. Nate Herb scored 12 and Hunter Svoboda 10.
Five different players scored in a fourth quarter which saw the Tigers outscore the Bubblers 18-11. The game was tied 35-35 after three quarters.
Fleetwood got off to a fast start, taking an 18-7 lead after the first quarter as Soumas hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 10 points. The Bubblers (16-7) held the Tigers to six third-quarter points to pull even.
Brandon Ascione scored a team-high 14 points for Boiling Springs; Ethan Yenser had 10.
Fleetwood has won 20 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1983 and 1984. That’s also the last time it made back-to-back state tournament.
The Bubblers had been hot since a five-game midseason losing streak, going 9-2 over the last month. They finished third in the Mid-Penn Capital Division, behind Trinity and Middletown. It advanced with a 57-52 opening-round win over Elco.
Fleetwood, the Berks III champ, earned a first-round bye in the district tournament.
The Tigers reached the District 3 title game last year before falling to Berks Catholic 73-44. It was their first championship-game appearance since 1990, when they won the title.
