Tigers’ run at perfect season ends at 13-0
Fleetwood has won a state title and four district championships in boys basketball, but the Tigers have never recorded a perfect regular season.
After opening this season with 13 straight wins they were in position to make history.
Manheim Central, one of the top-rated Class 5A teams in District 3, loomed as their last major hurdle. The Tigers were equal to task early Saturday afternoon, when they dropped an array of early 3-pointers and led by as many as seven points.
“They made everything,” said Manheim coach Charlie Fisher.
When those shots stopped falling in the second half the Barons seized control, pulling away to record a 67-57 non-league win at Fleetwood.
It ended what might’ve been the best start in program history for the Tigers (13-1).
“No one likes to lose,” said Fleetwood senior Jake Karnish, who led the way with 23 points and seven rebounds. “(I’m) glad it happened now instead of the end of the season. There’s a little less pressure now, but we can definitely build off this.”
The Tigers are a top district contender themselves. They’ve been ranked among the top Class 4A teams all season. They got a taste of what lies ahead come playoff time late next month and showed they can play with top teams, bigger schools and winning programs.
“If there’s such a thing as a good loss, this is it,” said Fleetwood coach Terry Sitler. “It’s good to get that little butt-whupping under your belt and move on.”
Aiden Soumas made three 3-pointers and the Tigers hit five of their first six from beyond the arc to move ahead 19-12 in the first period. They were up five after Braden Williams drilled a 3 midway through the second period and led by four at the half.
“We were firing on all cylinders,” Karnish said.
The Tigers’ lack of depth, a season-long concern, finally caught up with them. While Fisher was able to subsitute freely and work in 10 players, Karnish, Williams and Nate Herb remained on the floor the whole game. Soumas came out only briefly, after picking up his third foul late in the third quarter.
“We ran out of gas,” Sitler said. “I really only have six players I can play.”
After making six or their first seven 3’s the Tigers went 3-for-13 the rest of the way, including 1-for-8 in the second half.
“We went a little cold,” Karnish said. “Definitely in the fourth quarter we got tired. We did play last night (at Kutztown). Short recovery, but we’ve got to be in better shape to play all four quarters.”
Manheim Central hadn’t played since Wednesday.
It was a high-paced, competitive, playoff-level game for three quarters. Karnish’s follow in the final seconds of the third quarter cut Manheim’s lead to 47-46.
That was a last gasp for the Tigers. They didn’t score for the first 3 1/2 minutes of the final quarter. The Barons pulled away quickly, opening the fourth with an 11-0 run to build a 58-46 lead.
Manheim’s Trey Grube, a third-team All-State pick as a junior, started finding the range in the final quarter, when he scored 10 of his team-high 23 points to match his season average.
Grube started slowly, missed his first three shots and was pulled. He went to the bench again midway through the second quarter after picking up his second foul, then again for the final six minutes of the third quarter after picking up his third foul on a technical. All told, he sat for 12 of the first 24 minutes.
Even without their key piece the Barons played hard, defended well and shared the ball to maintain their lead in the third quarter. They made some second-half defensive adjustments that played a part in Fleetwood scoring just 18 points after intermission.
“We wanted to stop that dribble penetration to the rim and keep them out of the lane, but our rotations (on their shooters) were slow (in the first half),” said Fisher, a Reading High grad. “That’s the biggest thing we emphasized in the second half: When the ball’s (passed to the perimeter) rotate quicker.
“When you have guys like Jake and Soumas, those guys can get to the rim, they’re so strong. The sooner you stop them the better it’s going to be.”
The Barons (11-2), who are in first place in Section 2 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League and are now ranked No. 2 in the Class 5A power ratings, had a 14-0 scoring advantage off the bench. That was telling.
“They’re a legit team,” Karnish said. “It’s always good to play a team like that for experience to get ready for deeper in the season.”
“This is what the playoffs are gonna be like,” Sitler said. “We’ve just gotta be ready.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Manheim Central | 17 | 18 | 12 | 20 | 67 |
| Fleetwood | 19 | 20 | 7 | 11 | 57 |
| Barons (11-2) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Grube | 8-16 | 2-2 | 5-10 | 1 | 1 | 23 |
| Tracy | 2-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Benner | 4-8 | 3-3 | 0-2 | 0 | 4 | 11 |
| Fahenstock | 4-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| Witmer | 3-5 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 4 | 5 | 7 |
| Enterline | 3-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| Neiles | 1-3 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Book | 2-3 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Hahn | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rodgers | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 27-45 | 6-7 | 7-17 | 12 | 20-21 | 67 |
| Tigers (13-1) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Soumas | 4-11 | 1-3 | 3-7 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| Williams | 4-5 | 0-0 | 3-4 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| Herb | 1-6 | 6-6 | 1-4 | 0 | 5 | 9 |
| Karnish | 8-16 | 5-8 | 2-3 | 4 | 7 | 23 |
| Svoboda | 1-5 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Hilburt | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 18-45 | 12-17 | 9-20 | 12 | 24-28 | 57 |
Turnovers: Manheim Central 11, Fleetwood 12.
