By Todd Orodenker
Down by three with 1:08 to go, Ridley’s Nick Czechowicz missed a funky 3-pointer in the corner. With that, seemingly, went the Green Raiders hopes of beating Glen Mills.
However, nobody told Brett Foster.
Buoyed by three consecutive Battlin’ Bulls turnovers, Foster scored the final seven points of the game as Ridley stunned Glen Mills, 48-44, Saturday afternoon in nonleague action to give the Green Raiders their 13th win in their last 14 games. Foster had 32 points and scored 16 of his team’s 18 fourth-quarter points.
He barely seemed to care. Beating District One’s No. 2 team in the Class AAA power poll (unofficially, and as of a few weeks ago) was more than enough.
“It gave us a lot of power points for (the) district playoffs,’ Foster said. “And the crowd was really rowdy. I like quieting the crowd.’
Foster did just that with 37 seconds left in the game, hitting his fourth three to tie the score at 44. After Glen Mills (13-6) turned the ball over, Foster was fouled off the ball, the hosts’ seventh of the half — meaning he would be going to the line.
The junior hit both freebies, giving his team the lead. Glen Mills responded by turning the ball over, again, leading to a Foster lay up as time essentially expired.
“I wasn’t nervous, I think I made all of them prior to going to the free throw line,’ said Foster, who indeed hit all eight of his free throw attempts. “So my confidence was up.’
That, Foster said, came from a first half where he hit two 3-pointers and scored eight of his team’s 15 points. After that, he felt like he couldn’t miss.
“When his outside shot is dropping, because he can get by anyone, he’s unstoppable,’ Ridley coach Mike Snyder said.