In a game that was tight the entire way, Franklin relied on a pair of unsung heroes to ignite a late comeback and steal a 59-57 victory over host Catonsville Wednesday evening.
The Indians (7-7) trailed 55-51 when Eric Proper made a three-pointer to cut the lead to 55-54 with 2:02 remaining.
Forty seconds later, Proper fed freshman Isaiah Lamb, who knocked down a three pointer, giving the Indians a 57-55 lead.
Catonsville's Sean Lipscomb tied it at 57-57 with 1:04 remaining, but Proper sunk a pair of game-winning free throws with 31.4 seconds left and neither team scored the rest of the way.
"That is his (Proper) shooting job," Franklin coach Kiernan O'Connell said. "They were doing a great job of beating us off the dribble and we had a couple of key defensive stops and it gave us the opportunity to knock down some big threes."
Lamb, who also made a trey in the third period, struggled from the field (3-for-11), but came up clutch in the end.
"He had a tough game, but he hit a big time three down the stretch for a freshman," O'Connell said.
Catonsville (2-16) built its late lead on the strength of strong penetration from junior Jamal Tyson (16 points, 11 rebounds) and slick inside work from senior Lipscomb (17 points, 13 rebounds).
Tyson was also key to breaking the press, which the Indians employed after the Comets started the game with a 7-0 run as the Indians missed their first 13 field goal attempts.
Franklin's aggressive defense, led by Kevin Boles (6 steals), fueled a 9-0 Franklin streak, but the Comets tied it in the final seconds of the first quarter on a bucket by Danny Thompson.
Boles came alive offensively in the second quarter for Franklin, scoring eight of his 14 points, including four from the foul line.
"We've been trying to get him to be a little more aggressive and the last three or four weeks he's really done that and it's helped our play," O'Connell said.
Once the Comets started attacking the press, they got everybody involved in the scoring
"It took us a while to get in rhythm, but once we got in synch, it was easier to break," Tyson said.
Catonsville got five points from Tyson in the second quarter and three each from Thompson, Lipscomb and Brendan McTaggert, who tipped in a miss at the buzzer to send the game to intermission tied at 27-all
Lipscomb scored eight points in the third quarter and Tyson added three assists and a late fast break basket that earned the Comets a 44-41 lead at the end of three quarters.
But Franklin stayed close, thanks to solid play from leading scorer Marquis Ellis (15 points, 7 rebounds).
Catonsville maintained the advantage late in the fourth quarter when Tyson parted a sea of blue defenders on a drive down the lane for a 55-51 lead with 2:30 left.
But the unherealded Indians got hot beyond the arc and rallied them for the victory.
"The kids played hard from the opening jump right until the very last possession," said Catonsville coach Dennis Keihm, who was filling in for head coach Matt Fannon.
Keihm had coached the Comet junior varsity to a 66-36 victory earlier in the day and didn't know he was filling in for the ill Comet coach until game day.
"They hit two threes at the end and they hadn't shown that," Keihm said. "My hats are off to them."
The perimeter baskets weren't the focus for Franklin's O'Connell, but it worked.
"We were trying to turn the tempo up and they did a good job slowing us down with the (2-3) zone," O'Connell said.
Scoring
Franklin (59) Marquis Ellis 15, Kevin Boles 14, Eric Proper 8, Isaiah Lamb 8, Reggie Ellis 6, Jacques Plater 6, Marcus Gray 2.
Catonsville (57) Sean Lipscomb 17, Jamal Tyson 16, Jack Rasmussen 8, Danny Thompson 8, Brendan McTaggert 5, Justin Sneed 2, Kevin Sheppard 1.