Everybody wanted a piece of Linden junior guard Landon Jones during a madcap celebration inside Fenton’s home gymnasium.
His teammates, the fans, the parents, the coaches. They danced, pounded Jones in the chest and popped him on top of the head. This is the way the Eagles celebrated an improbable 50-48 victory over archrival Fenton. This is how they recognized Jones for hitting a dramatic game-winning three-point shot with 2.9 seconds left.
It doesn’t get any better than this.
The win propelled Linden (6-2) into first place in the Flint Metro League Stripes Division race, half a game ahead of Flint Kearsley (6-3) and Swartz Creek (6-3) and one game ahead of Flushing (5-3) in a crowded division race.
The Linden Eagles?
Hardly. These guys are pit bulls. They are honey badgers or gladiators.
The Eagles won the only way they could by pulling themselves off the canvas at the count of nine and fighting with the gusto of Mike Tyson in his prime. Linden has stolen the theme of the 2004 champion Going to Work Pistons. If it ain’t rough it ain’t right.
Sometimes this mentality leads to devastating losses – 60-59 to Lake Fenton. Or it leads to big wins such as a pair of two-point wins against Fenton.
Fenton (5-14 overall and 0-9 in league play) hardly looked like a last place team. The Tigers looked like winners for much of the second half as they roared to a 44-37 lead with about three minutes remaining.
However, Linden big man Jase Becher hit a big hook shot. Bushon Carter, who played as if every play was a matter of life and death hit two free throws after a key steal to cut Fenton’s lead to 44-43. He also fed Jones for the game-winning shot. Junior Ryan Nosek forced a turnover and Jones hit a bucket to give Linden a one-point 45-44 lead with 46.1 seconds remaining.
Fenton forward Jadon Burnau got the biggest cheers of the night from the home crowd after sinking two free throws with 8.9 seconds remaining to put Fenton up 48-47.
This when the pit bulls went to work. Facing full-court pressure they found Jones alone on the left side of the court for his game-winning three. He wasn’t certain he’d be the hero after releasing the shot. He only scored five points.
“I wasn’t 100 percent for certain,” Jones said. “But I have confidence in my shot.”
Bedlam broke out and Linden found itself alone in first place.
“We have blown so many leads as we did tonight,” Jones said. “But this was a big one for our team.”
Before Fenton’s surge Linden controlled much of the first half, leading by as many as 10 points. However, Linden hit a third quarter lull and appeared out for the count.
This was huge. Linden travels to Flint Kearsley next Friday in a game that should decide the league title.
No one from Linden felt sorry for Fenton. It has won the last two Stripes Division titles and had beaten Linden five of the last six times. Fenton no longer has Da’Hion Bond and Sam Dillard who both scored more than 1,000 career points.
Dillard is averaging 13.8 points and 5.3 rebounds at Kuyper College in Grand Rapids.