Every time Euclid found an answer to Akron Garfield at the NEO Youth Elite Christmas Classic, Monty Thompson changed the question. The Rams’ junior connected on four shots with 15 seconds left in the second half and both overtimes, the latter being a game-winning jumper as the buzzer sounded for a 73-71 victory. Akron Garfield improves to 8-1 while Euclid falls to 5-3. Neither side started strong, with Garfield up, 6-0, after the first four minutes. Then the Rams found a rhythm as Queitin Tyler and Rayshawn Hamilton connected on three shots later in the frame. The Rams controlled the glass in the first half, with four players at three rebounds or more. Coach Quentin Rogers knew his team needed to get more aggressive inside. “It’s still part of the jelling process,” Rogers said. “We’re missing four people, and that would obviously help a lot. We had to have some shorter sub times for the game and that did change some things.” Euclid started to trim into the lead in the second quarter, with Tyree Williamson and Da’Shun Williams getting layups to fall. Kye Owens also established himself in the pain, creating three trips to the free-throw line. But the Rams kept the gap manageable as Hamilton had a transition dunk and drew a foul to complete a three-point play. The Panthers increased the defensive pressure in the half-court, which sped up the Rams and created six turnovers in the second quarter. Then Williams added a layup and Owens rebounded a missed 3-point attempt and found Jalin Acoff open in the far corner for the bucket that tied the game at intermission. Euclid came out quickly in the third as Mekhi Asberry hit two 3-pointers to take the lead for the first time. Asberry finished as the high man for the Panthers with 19 points, all in the second half and extra periods. Asberry continued his hot showing as he had a fast break layup followed by another 3-pointer to build the lead. But Thompson had his first of four late heroics with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it a 44-42 deficit going to the fourth for the Rams. Outside of the showing from Thompson, Rogers was pleased with how the Panthers played perimeter defense. “They were contested shots,” Rogers said. “I’ll live with that. At the end of the day, throwing up the ball almost at half court and stuff like that, I’m fine with. It was all you can ask for. It came down to winning on the free throw line and we were shorthanded.” The lead changed hands a few times in the fourth, but a pair of Dontez Jones drives kept the Panthers ahead by six late. Then Thompson struck again. He hit a 3-pointer that made it a one-possession game and then another with 11.7 left, plus a foul call. But he missed the four-point play, and the game went to overtime. Asberry kicked off the extra period with a 3-pointer at the top of the key and but Hamilton and Thompson had a pair of layups for the lead. Owens hit two free throws for the lead, and Kamari Carter split his for a two-point lead. Thompson hit a jumper in the final seconds and Euclid couldn’t convert for the win, and it was a second overtime. Hamilton hit a pair of layups, but Euclid responded with a Williamson up and under and a Carter lay-in to draw the game even. Makai Law and Acoff hit shots, and the game was even at 71. Acoff missed both of his free throws with 10 seconds left and the game still tied. Thompson pulled up just inside the arc, and his shot fell as the buzzer sounded. “You have to do the little things,” Rogers said. “We get some guys back, that rotation is going to help us with energy, with perimeter defense, rebounding. But these guys did the best they could with what they had. We just had to finish.” Owens (18 points) and Jones (12) were also in double figures for the Panthers. Hamilton had 27 for the Rams with Chapman (13) also in double figures. Thompson had 15, all in the second half and overtime periods. Euclid returns to GCC play Jan. 2, with Shaker Heights visiting Doc Daugherty Gymnasium. The score Akron Garfield 73, Euclid 71 (2OT) ...read more read less