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The Franklin High School basketball Warriors’ season opener was not for the faint of heart, from the overcome double-digit deficit, to the blown double-digit lead, to the thrilling finish in which the Warriors emerged victorious, 66-62, over the Morristown Beard School Crimson.
In the process of winning, Junior Jayden Harrison scored 24 points, including a three-pointer and seven from the foul line.
Franklin took advantage of a cold-shooting Morristown in the beginning of the game to build a slight lead, but the Crimson soon found their groove, outscoring the Warriors 17-15 in the first frame.
Morristown was helped by Franklin’s inability to get out of its own way, with the Warriors giving up multiple turnovers leading to Crimson buckets.
Morristown kept the pressure on in the second quarter, increasing its lead and outscoring Franklin 20-16, taking a 37-31 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Crimson at one point in the frame held a 12-point lead.
Third-year coach Kashiff Foster said he used halftime to remind his players that they have to “take care of the ball and make sure we finish every possession with a rebound.”
That message clicked, because the Warriors came out in the third frame and shut down the Crimson, outscoring them 23-7 and taking a 54-44 lead at the buzzer.
But there was still another quarter to play.
The Crimson would not go down easily, and managed to eat away that 10-point deficit and take a small lead during the final eight minutes.
But the Warriors still had some fight in them.
With Morristown leading 62-60 with less than a minute left to play, Junior Jah’naad Cady sank two clutch free-throws to tie the game up.
Franklin scored four more points and held on to win, 66-62.
Foster said the team had a “great week of practice,’ and was ready to take on some adversity.
“That’s one of the things that we are hoping on this year, being able to handle adversity and fight through it,” he said. “And that’s what they did, and I’m super proud of them.”
Foster attributed the first-half turnovers to it being the first game of the season, and some of the players getting used to each other.
But by the second half, “they really were connected, they communicated,” he said.
Aiding in the Warriors’ effort was Cady with 16 points and Sophomore Sean Duncan with 13 points, 12 of which came from outside the arch.
Senior Tyler Modeste contributed seven points, and Senior Isiah Pennyfeather rounded out the scoring with six points.
The Warriors next take on St. Thomas Aquinas on December 13. Their next home game is set for December 16, against Bridgewater-Raritan.
Here are some scenes from the game:
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