The season debut for Jamson Coulter arrived about three months later than anyone at Rich Township would have wanted. But Coulter’s teammates and coaches were delighted that it happened at all. And amazed at what transpired in his comeback game. Coulter was the second-leading scorer on a Raptors te am that finished fourth in the state last winter in Class 4A. The senior guard, however, had missed all of this season while dealing with a medical issue. His return performance Monday night seemed to be out of a movie script. He scored 25 points over the final three quarters and had Lou Adams, his coach, fighting back tears postgame. “Going through what he went through and to bounce back and perform like that on a big stage, it speaks volumes about him,” Adams said of Coulter. “He’s pretty good, man. “I’ve seen everybody. I’ve seen a lot of great players. He’s special.” Rich Township coach Lou Adams reaches out to hug Jamson Coulter (30) in the final seconds of a Southland Athletic Conference game against Bloom in Richton Park on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown) Coulter’s big night was special and necessary as the host Raptors held off a furious Bloom comeback and pulled out a 73-66 Southland Athletic Conference win in Richton Park. Kavon Ammons scored 16 points, including a 3-pointer with 1:45 to go that put Rich Township (13-11, 6-3) ahead for good. TJ Eaton added 15 points. Dyron Watson pulled down seven rebounds. Freshman guard Kaden McClellan poured in 21 points for Bloom (12-11, 4-5). Keiwon Gulley and Troy Garner added 12 points apiece, with Garner grabbed seven rebounds. Demetrius Boswell tallied nine points. But the night belonged to Coulter. Rich Township's Jamson Coulter (30) gets past Bloom's Troy Garner (13) for a layup during a Southland Athletic Conference game at Rich South in Richton Park on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown) Coulter, who was not available for an interview after the game, did not play in the first quarter but entered a minute into the second quarter to a standing ovation. “Seeing Jamson back on the court was amazing,” Ammons said. “It felt good having him back. We’ve been missing him.” The start was a bit rough for Coulter, who committed a turnover and airballed a 3-pointer on his first two touches. But he got going soon after, scoring seven points before halftime. The Raptors led 51-41 after three quarters before Bloom stormed back to tie the game four times in the final four minutes. Rich Township's Jamson Coulter (30) looks up on a pair of free throws against Bloom during a Southland Athletic Conference game at Rich South in Richton Park on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown) Coulter, though, was unstoppable down the stretch. He scored 14 points in the fourth, consistently getting to the basket even when the Blazing Trojans threw double and triple teams at him. “That’s Jamson,” Ammons said. “I wasn’t surprised. I’m used to it. He doesn’t want to lose. He’s always been like that.” The first three times Bloom tied the game, Coulter had immediate answers, scoring on two drives and knocking down a 3-pointer. “He was just being Jamson Coulter,” Eaton said. “We’re a way better team with him. He was like the piece we were missing.” Ammons, who struggled with his shot most of the night, knocked down his biggest with a 3-pointer that broke a 63-63 tie with 1:45 to go. He added three free throws to seal the win. “It was just trusting the work,” Ammons said. “Trust that I’ve put in reps, put in the work and trust that when I put up the next shot, it’s going to go in.” Rich Township's Jamson Coulter (30) signals after making a key 3-pointer against Bloom during a Southland Athletic Conference game at Rich South in Richton Park on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown) It all added up to a special night for the Raptors, who were emotional after the game. “Words can’t even explain it,” Eaton said. “It was just a good team win and I’m glad to have my boy back.” After Ammons was fouled with one second left and the win wrapped up, Adams substituted for Coulter to allow him to get one more round of applause from the crowd. Coulter walked to the sideline and got a huge hug from Adams. “Earlier in the day, Jamson told me, ‘Coach, I’m a little nervous,’” Adams said. “Then he went out there and he put on a performance that proves he’s one of the best players in the state.” ...read more read less