Jackets get some revenge with victory

By Karl Lyles - Karl Lyles; 329-4032

Fort Mill had its rematch with Clover circled on the schedule for three weeks. Friday night, the Yellow Jackets exacted their revenge for an embarrassing loss at Clover on Jan. 9. It took overtime for Fort Mill to get the 61-57 win, but the extra period only made it that much sweeter.

Fort Mill evened its Region 3-AAAA record at 3-3.

Clover's brilliant start to the season has waned. The Blue Eagles fell to 14-5 overall and 2-4 in the region.

Photo 1: Jackets get some revenge with victory

Regulation ended in a tie at 50.

Clover got a quick basket from Aaron Miller off a Cody Bauer feed to take the early lead in overtime. Fort Mill responded just as quickly. Jackson Hoynacki converted an offensive rebound into a three-point play to put the Jackets on top, 53-52.

Hoynacki, a 6-foot-8 junior, has started some games this year. He came off the bench for coach Bailey Jackson in this one.

The big man came up big when it counted. He scored seven consecutive points in overtime to put the game out of reach.

He was left all alone just outside the paint for a layup.

The next time down the floor, point guard Andrew Parra spotted him and zipped a pass inside. Fort Mill led 57-52 with 1:47 left.

Hoynacki finished with 9 points.

"When Clover had three guys around the ball, someone had to be open," Jackson explained. "We haven't been finding that open person in some games this year."

Clover's Josh Clawson, who scored a team-high 13 points, hit a pair of free throws to make it a three-point game. Fort Mill countered with a layup from Rion Heriot.

Clover's Chris Lindsay hit a 3-pointer in the final minute to close the gap to 59-57. Heriot scored on another layup off an inbound pass from Parra. His bucket slammed the door on the Blue Eagles.

Fort Mill suffered one of its worst defeats at Clover three weeks ago. Clover limited the Jackets to seven second-half points to win 59-27.

"We had the motivation of being beat by that much. No one wants to lose by 30," Parra said after the game.

Parra finished with 10 points and nearly as many assists.

"We didn't show our best effort at Clover. That was by far our worst game of the year and our worst loss in several years," Jackson said.

Fort Mill led the game until late in the third when Clover peeled off the final nine points to take a 40-36 lead. Bauer hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The lead changed hands three times in the final four minutes of regulation. Fort Mill led 49-48 when Clover's Chris Lindsay made a steal at halfcourt and drove in for a layup. Fort Mill tied it on Andrew McCartney's free throw with 26.9 seconds left.

Clover had a chance to win it in regulation and got a good look at a three from Alexander Wylie. His shot from the wing hit the back iron as time expired.

Fort Mill got 13 points from Jaquan Dupree. Heriot finished with 11. The Yellow Jackets play at York on Tuesday and at Gaffney on Friday.