With each team entering the game 16-2, Homestead and East Noble looked for a late-season signature win.
Each team went on runs early in the game - five for Homestead followed by 12 from East Noble and seven in a row for Homestead a bit later. There was a scare for Homestead midway through the first quarter when sophomore Luke Goode rolled his ankle. Ali Ali grabbed the ball as Goode went down and took it to the other end for a dunk. It was the only easy basket for the Akron-bound wing all night.
Goode went to the bench but returned to begin the second period. He played with a slight limp, but it looked like he got more comfortable as the game developed.
After a back and forth quarter, Gage Ernsberger hit a three-pointer late in the first period to give East Noble a 15-9 lead. Will Smith hit a three for Homestead then Goode created a steal leading to a Zak Krueger bucket. Krueger made another shot to take back the lead via the 7-0 run.
Senior Brent Cox has been consistent for East Noble all season, and he had back to back scores to give East Noble the lead. But the Knights went on an extended drought after that.
Krueger was huge for Homestead. He scored 12 of Homestead's 17 points in the first 12 minutes of the second half. During that stretch, the Spartans took a 12-point advantage.
East Noble didn't give up. Nate Dickson hit a three-pointer to bright the Knights within four points with under a minute to play. After Luke Goode converted two free throws, Hayden Jones was fouled on a three-point attempt. He made two. Goode and Xavier Overstreet made all their free throws to keep East Noble at an arm's length.
Homestead won 49-44.
Zak Krueger had 20 points and six rebounds in the victory. Alec Grinsfelder added 13 points and five rebounds. Goode struggled (0-8 from the field) but went 4-4 from the line late. He also had five rebounds.
Hayden Jones led East Noble with 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Brent Cox finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. Ali Ali had six points and four rebounds.