Roberts fits Sweet Home with road win at Jamestown
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Three days before Sweet Home's huge road game at Jamestown last Thursday, Sweet Home coach Paul Schintzius awarded a fitted hat to whichever of his players had the best practice.

He said point guard Steven Roberts scored the last seven points of the drill and as soon as he made it, walked from the far end of the game and put the hat on.

Roberts pulled off a similar scenario at Jamestown.

Down 43-37 with 4:43 remaining, Roberts scored 11 of his 13 points to lift the Panthers to a 53-47 win.

The game lifted Sweet Home to 8-1 in ECIC Division I, 11-3 overall, while Jamestown fell to 7-3, 12-3.

"It was like déjà vu," said Schintzius. "He did the same thing he did in practice. It was almost out of left field. He bailed us out."

It was Sweet Home's third straight win at Jamestown.

Roberts got Sweet Home going in the fourth with a jumper. After Terrell Rankin (11 points) laid in an offensive rebound to cut Sweet Home's deficit to 43-42 with 3:40 left, Roberts sank a three 30 seconds later to give them the lead for good. Roberts added six free throws to seal the victory.

The game was played as Schintzius said, "like a prize fight." Jamestown battled for a 10-9 first-quarter lead, but the Panthers responded with eight points from Eric Schnirel (two three's) and seven points from Marcus Johnson, including a three at the halftime buzzer that put Sweet Home ahead, 26-19.

Jamestown tied it at 31-31 after three quarters. Sweet Home outscored Jamestown, 22-16, in the fourth.

Jamestown's Dominique Kendrick, who scored 39 the past two games, was held by Schnirel and Earl Jackson to 20 points and five three's.

Sweet Home, winner of its last seven, played at West Seneca West on Tuesday but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. Their week continues at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against Orchard Park, who cost them their only league loss, and at 8 p.m. Friday versus Hamburg.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com