OT HEROES: Plymouth’s Sholler, Rue end thriller with dramatic shots
Plymouth players swarm Novi’s Greyson Fielder to force a jump ball early in Wednesday’s game.
Plymouth basketball player Preston Sholler experienced a few of those moments Wednesday night he’ll proudly be able to tell his grandchildren 50 years from now.
Sholler’s exploits were so incredible, however, his grandkids may not believe him.
With the Wildcats deadlocked with visiting Novi, 40-40, in overtime, Sholler calmly swished a three-point shot from the left wing, giving Plymouth a lead it would never relinquish in the extra session.
After Novi’s Matthew Floros cut his team’s deficit to 43-42 with a bucket with 65 seconds left, it appeared the Wildcats would hang onto the ball until Novi was forced to foul.
To shoot, or not to shoot?
But with 49 seconds to play, Plymouth point guard Chayse Calvin’s baseline drive drew three Novi players to him, leaving Sholler so open on the left wing, it was like he was shooting hoops by himself in his driveway.
After hesitating for a couple seconds — no doubt thinking he could give his team a two-possession lead with a made three, or give Novi a chance to win if he missed — Sholler squared his shoulders to the rim and released a nothing-but-net dagger that gave the hosts a 46-42 advantage.
(To check out a video of Sholler’s clutch three and Rue’s game-sealing dunk, click here.)
Novi hustled the ball down court, but turned it over to Plymouth’s best player, Zerry Rue, who never hesitated — dribbling the ball toward the basket and throwing down a thunderous dunk that all but sealed his team’s ultimate 50-42 triumph.
The win was a breath of fresh air for Plymouth, which had lost four of its previous five KLAA West Division games. The Wildcats improved to 5-13 overall and 3-7 in the division. Novi slipped to 5-12 and 2-8, respectively.
A rout in the making early
Throughout the first quarter, it appeared as if Novi was going to win in a rout. The visiting Wildcats forced multiple Plymouth turnovers and — fueled by Carter Thompson’s eight early points — led 19-7 after the opening eight minutes.
Whatever Plymouth Head Coach Darian Bynum told his team during the break between quarters, it resonated as the ‘Cats shifted their defense and intensity into another gear.
Forcing turnovers and finishing at the other end, Plymouth bounced back to cut its halftime deficit to 26-21.
Plymouth maintained its intensity in the third quarter when it outscored Novi 10-4 to carry a 31-30 lead into the fourth.
The ‘Chayse’ was on
Calvin sent the game to overtime with a bucket with 1:04 left on the fourth-quarter clock — setting the stage for his teammates’ late-game heroics.
Rue led Plymouth with 17 points and Calvin contributed 12. Sholler, who couldn’t buy a three in the first four quarters, finished with nine points.
The Wildcats stymied Thompson after his red-hot first quarter, limiting to just two points over the final three stanzas and overtime.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
