Comets have winning streak stopped at 7 with 56-53 loss to Falcons

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

PARKERSBURG — As Falcons tend to do, Aplington-Parkersburg attacked fast from the air as it — with a series of rapid-fire 3-pointers — jumped out to a 9-0 lead over visiting Charles City in non-conference boys basketball action, Friday night.

The Comets eventually caught the Falcons before going up 15-12 on Kaden Buseman’s 3-pointer, but it was 1-point baskets that proved to be the difference at the end of 56-53 final that went A-P’s way.

Falcon senior Gavin Thomas sank both ends of a free-throw opportunity with 17.1 seconds left in regulation to put A-P up 54-51.

With the Comets needing a 3-pointer to tie, the Falcons vigilantly patrolled the arc to harass any would-be jump shooters, but didn’t prevent Charles City senior Keenan Wiley from driving the lane for a 2-point layup.

With it now a 1-point game again, there was some confusion as the remaining seconds ticked off after Wiley’s basket— clock doesn’t stop after made baskets and Charles City was out of timeouts — before Aplington-Parkersburg inbounded the ball. Though the Falcons could understandably take their time, they’re still subject to 5-second inbound-default calls and there was more than 5 seconds left after Wiley’s basket.

It was eventually ruled that A-P’s coach called a timeout after the basket.

When the Falcons successfully inbounded the ball to Thomas, he was immediately fouled with 0.3 left on the clock. After Thomas made good on both FT attempts again, Wiley launched a 50-footer that found the backboard but not the inside of the iron cylinder.

Nick Neuroth scored 15 points, Thomas and Cooper Hoff each added 12 for the Falcons (16-5).

Comet senior Jack Hanson scored a game-high 17 points with four 3-pointers, and Wiley scored 12 for Charles City (12-8), which had its winning streak stopped at seven.

The Comets will finish the regular season this Thursday (Feb. 15) when they host Hampton-Dumont-CAL in a makeup non-conference game at Comet Gym.

The following Monday (Feb. 19), Charles City will host Center Point-Urbana in the first round of the Class 3A-Substate 3 tournament. The Comets are the No. 2-seed in the bracket which includes No. 1-seed and No. 2-ranked Decorah.

Boys Varsity

APLINGTON-PARKERSBURG 56, CHARLES CITY 53

Scoring By Quarters

Charles City 17 15 7 14 — 53

Aplington-Parkersburg 16 13 15 12 — 56

Individual Scoring

CHARLES CITY — Jack Hanson 17, Kaden Buseman 5, Keenan Wiley 12, Kayden Kasemeier 2, Victor Ward 2, Jordin Ritter 6, Jeb Wandro 9.

APLINGTON-PARKERSBURG — Cooper Hoff 12, Caleb Campbell 3, Gavin Thomas 12, Benny Waller 7, Nick Neuroth 15, Kael Schoneman 7.

RECORDS — Aplington-Parkersburg 16-5, Charles City 12-8