Never say die: Walker's heroics bring John Glenn unlikely win against River View
NEW CONCORD — The engines were revved up and dust flew in all directions the last time John Glenn and River View played a boys basketball game.
The Black Bears' Brody Border led the race, scoring a career-high 36 points, but it was the Muskies' balance, shooting touch and inside-out play of Nathan Walker that ultimately won out.
The rematch took it a step farther. To no one's surprise, Walker had plenty to say in the outcome.
In one the highest-scoring games in the Muskingum Valley League in recent memory, the visiting Black Bears and Muskies found themselves locked in a high-octane affair that took 40 minutes to decide.
It was Walker who saved the day for the Muskies, hitting three free throws with no time remaining to force overtime. When one extra session wasn't enough, he had the key basket in the second as John Glenn pulled away for a 93-82 win to keep pace in the Big School Division.
Walker scored 23 of his team-high 28 points in the second half and overtime. He had three of the team's 17 3-pointers — Avery Parmer and Collin Campbell added four apiece.
The game was a near facsimile of their December meeting in Warsaw, when the Muskies (10-5, 7-3 MVL-Big) hit 12 from long distance en route to a 78-69 win. Like that game, this one was equally fast-paced — and even more entertaining.
Eight players scored in double figures and the teams combined for 64 field goals and 21 3-pointers, with Parmer (20), Kaiden Walls (17) and Colin Campbell (17) posting at least 17 points for John Glenn. Meanwhile, Owen Emig's game-high 32 was almost enough to carry the Black Bears (8-8, 6-5) to their biggest win.
Almost.
River View led 72-66 with 7.1 seconds left in regulation, only to see it evaporate due to ill-timed miscues. Parmer hit a 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left to get John Glenn within three. The Black Bears then threw an errant pass on the inbounds that Walker tracked down just beyond the 3-point line. He spun and shot, drawing a foul in the process.
"Everything that we could have done wrong in that situation, we did wrong," River View coach Ben Belden said.
From there it was up to Walker, who had 10 points in the fourth, to sink three of the biggest free throws of his life. With every eye on the gym on him, he bounced the first over the front of the rim and into the net.
"I knew if I could make the first one that I would make the next two," Walker said. "I just had to see one go in."
Walls wasn't surprised.
"I've always got faith in him, but I still said a little prayer to God real quick," Walls said. "Just wanted to give him the strength to get through."
Belden said he wanted to call timeout just before the turnover on the inbounds pass, but didn't get it. He admitted he was surprised Walker converted all three free throws.
"It's hard to make three in a row," Belden said. "Good for him, that's a memory that will remain with him forever."
It was a crushing turn of events for River View, which led by as many as eight points in the second half. Even after losing the lead in regulation, the Black Bears had the lead three times in overtime, the final coming when Carter Fry scored off a putback to make it 78-77 with just more than a minute left.
It was short-lived. Walker missed two free throws the next time down, but Noah Winland tracked down the rebound and found Walls, who struck from long distance to give the Muskies an 80-78 lead with 32 seconds left.
Right on cue, Gage Summers answered with two free throws to tie it at 80 the next time down.
It then went to the second overtime, where John Glenn never trailed after Campbell scored on the team's first possession. Walls gave his team the lead for good at 84-82, and the Black Bears came up empty on its final five possessions.
Walker's driving layup with 26 seconds left pushed a three-point lead to 87-82. The Muskies finished the game on an 11-0 run.
"I just talked to Coach Belden and that's one of those things where you hate to see either team lose," John Glenn coach Eric Sheck said. "I think both teams made some big plays in big moments. Luckily for us we found a way to come out on top.
"As hard as both teams played, and good plays several guys made — it wasn't like it was one guy against another," Sheck said. "There were several guys on both squads who made big plays. We are fortunate to have won."
The Muskies avenged a one-point loss to Cadiz Harrison Central on Saturday. A highly competitive MVL-Big School slate remains, this one among them.
They, like many MVL-Big School teams, continue to show improvement.
"We're going to show heart no matter what the time is and the score is," Walker said. "We're not going to quit. We're going to keep showing up and keep showing heart."
Summers finished with 14 points, Fry 12 and Border 10 with a 6-of-6 showing at the line as seven players scored for River View.
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This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Nathan Walker's heroics key John Glenn boys basketball comeback win
