Boys Basketball: Elyria Catholic loses to Padua on buzzer-beating 3-pointer

PARMA — The Elyria Catholic Panthers held Padua to two baskets in the fourth quarter, but the second proved to be the difference-maker as it came while the final seconds ran off the clock. Freshman guard Jai'Den Gambrell pulled up for a 3-pointer and, despite a double team from Elyria Catholic's defense, buried the long-range shot. Gambrell's fourth 3-pointer of the game gave the Bruins a 73-71 victory over the Panthers in North Coast Conference action Friday night. "We had two guys jumping just as high as him, hands in the face, what more do you want?" Elyria Catholic coach Jason Smith said. "He hit a great shot. "I couldn't be prouder of the way the guys played today. They played phenomenal. Offense, defense, they ran the stuff that we were supposed to run. At the end of the game, they executed extremely well. I couldn't be prouder of them, but Padua played amazing tonight." Prior to Gambrell's buzzer-beater, the Panthers (9-5, 2-3) were in great shape to take the victory on the road. With just six seconds left in the fourth quarter, junior guard Matisse Williams pulled up along the left side of the key and banked in a jumper. That shot gave Williams a game-high 24 points and, more importantly, Elyria Catholic a 71-70 advantage. Although Williams hit Elyria Catholic's final shot, he did far more to test Padua's defense. Williams scored eight of Elyria Catholic's 22 points in the second quarter, added another eight in the third and tied for the team lead with two 3-pointers. "He has been playing extremely well for us," Smith said. "To see him come out for us in this type of environment and step up, it's huge. There are big things coming down the line for him this season." As Smith said, the Panthers were far from "a team of one" against the Bruins (8-4, 3-2). While Williams led all scorers with 24 points, sophomore forward Jazear Terry and junior guard Donovan Shumpert finished with 17 and 12 points, respectively. Shumpert added six rebounds. Despite early runs from the Bruins, sophomore guard Dominique Stamper helped the Panthers take an 18-14 lead into the second quarter by burying a pair of 3-pointers from the right wing. "We have a lot of tough guys to guard on this team," Smith said. "With Jazear's size, speed and athleticism, it's extremely tough to guard that. Dom got hot early, knocked down some threes, and we need that from him. We need those threes. He's one of the best shooters on our team, so if we can get him to that open spot and he's knocking them down, we're a dangerous team." The Panthers will return home for much of the rest of the regular season. Next Friday, the Panthers host another North Coast Conference opponent, Benedictine, and then take to the road again at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (Jan. 23) and Holy Name (Jan. 27). Elyria Catholic ends the year with three of its final four games of the regular season at The Coliseum, and one is already circled on the calendar. The Panthers host Padua in the final game of the regular season. "If you don't think we'll have that game flagged, you've got something wrong with you," Smith said of the rematch Feb. 20. "We've been on the road for what I feel is like two months, so it'll be good to get back home and end the season at home. We can compete with any team in the conference, and the guys believe it. To end the season at home, we're a dangerous team, and I can't wait to get some of these games back." Contact The Chronicle-Telegram at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. Padua 73, Elyria Catholic 71 ELYRIA CATHOLIC (71): Dominique Stamper 3-0-8, Jazear Terry 8-1-17, Purvie Smallwood III 1-0-2, Matisse Williams 11-0-24, Donovan Shumpert 5-1-12, Kingston Daniels 2-0-4, Ben Essenmacher 1-0-2, Robbie Duray 1-0-2. Totals 32-2-71. PADUA (73): Jai'Den Gambrell 6-7-23, Geo Smith 2-0-6, Antoine Wooten 10-2-22, Dominic Harb 2-0-6, Chase Martin 0-0-0, Braylon Benson 2-3-7, Matt Lasky 1-0-2, Jack Boswell 2-2-7. Totals 25-14-73. Elyria Catholic&emsp;18&emsp;22&emsp;20&emsp;11&emsp;—&emsp;71 Padua&emsp;14&emsp;26&emsp;21&emsp;12&emsp;—&emsp;73 Three-point goals: Elyria Catholic 5-8 (62.5 percent; Williams 2, Stamper 2, Shumpert 1), Padua 9-24 (37.5 percent; Gambrell 4, Smith 2, Harb 2, Boswell 1). Field goals: Elyria Catholic 32-53 (60.4 percent), Padua 25-56 (44.6 percent). Free throws: Elyria Catholic 2-6 (33.3 percent), Padua 14-19 (73.7 percent). Rebounds: Elyria Catholic 31, Padua 26. Turnovers: Elyria Catholic 6, Padua 10. Junior varsity: Padua, 49-20.