Normal High defeats Bulldogs on last-second shot, Coleman reaches 1,000 points
BY FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
The Bulldogs dropped a 63-62 decision to visiting Normal University High on Saturday when the Pioneers scored on a rebound basket with less than a second to play.
M-S trailed 22-18 after one quarter, but had gained a slight edge, 35-34, at halftime. The Pioneers carried a 50-45 lead into the final quarter.
Bulldog senior Grant Coleman eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his varsity career with a first-quarter basket. Coleman ended with a team-high 18 points (including 7-for-7 from the free-throw line). He also had four assists.
For his career, Coleman has amassed 1,017 points. He is the sixth member of the school’s 1,000-point club for the boys’ basketball program. He joins Brett Melton (1,872 points), Craig Buchanan (1,653 points), Cory Noe (1,615 points), Phil Knell (1,499 points) and Connor Diedrich (1,255 points).
Braden Finch scored 14 points for the Bulldogs and netted a season-high four three-point shots. Kobe Essien scored 13 points and Eli Warren chipped in with nine points.
Essien made 6 of 6 shots that he attempted from the field. Essien and Finch each garnered three rebounds.
Cole Lener chipped in with seven assists, six points, four steals and three rebounds. Warren also had four assists.
The Bulldogs return to action on Thursday, Dec. 26 with a noon game in the State Farm Classic. M-S opens with third-seeded North Lawndale in a game scheduled for the Shirk Center, in Bloomington.
