It might have been a first, but normally high-scoring Annapolis, the team that set a state record of 90.5 points a game last season, did not hit a field goal in the final period last night at Severna Park and held on to take a 61-52 squeaker.
In an aggressive game, the two teams went to the line 58 times. The winning Panthers were 18-for-28 in free throws, and the host was 21-for-30.
Ryan Dacey's (17 points) five free throws in the last 55 seconds were all the No. 10 Panthers (4-0) managed to put on the board while the Falcons (1-3) rallied for 13 points and got within 56-50 with 1:24 left. Dacey's first two free throws put Annapolis up by eight.
"We got into foul trouble, tried to run time off the clock and turned the ball over too many times," said Annapolis coach John Brady. "We got called for two three-second violations and that's elementary school stuff.
"Why worry about the X's and O's because we throw the ball to the other team."
Annapolis' 6-foot-8 Lenny Barber, who had five points but 11 rebounds (seven defensive), had four fouls by the end of the third period and ultimately fouled out with 1:24 left.
His last put Falcons freshman Greg Korwek (12 points, four rebounds, two steals) on the line, and he hit both to pull his team within six.
Point guard Teshawn Cooper (six points, four steals) was called for a third personal in the waning seconds of the third period and picked up No. 4 with 33 seconds left and the Panthers clinging to a 58-50 lead.
Damion Day (two points) fouled out with 3:15 left in the third.
Severna Park's Devin Phillips (five points, four rebounds) fouled out with 12 seconds left in the game and the Falcons finished with three starters owning four fouls in 6-7 sophomore center Jeff Hatch (seven points, seven rebounds and two assists), Korwek, and Todd Batty (11 points, four steals).
Jon Briggs, a third Falcon in double figures with 11 points, had three fouls.
What saved Annapolis in the sloppily played game was its decisive rebounding edge as it built a 13-point lead at the half and had an 18-point advantage in the third period with 5:06 left.
Ronnie Johnson (14 points, nine rebounds, two steals) scored six points in the third period and Dacey hit his third three of the game. Johnson's layup at the end of the third period would be the Panthers' final field goal as they attempted only four shots in the final period and went to the line 11 times with Dacey sinking five.
Annapolis out-rebounded Severna Park by 33-20 (Hatch had seven) and allowed the Falcons only five offensive rebounds. Not getting the second shot really hurt the Falcons.
"We struggled inside, but this is a very young team [has only one senior starter in Phillips] and sometimes that helps, sometimes we get burned," said Falcons coach Paul Pellicani.