1998 born RJ Eytle-Rock gave Kent got their biggest win of the season the weekend before last, as he knocked down an incredible shot at the buzzer to pull out a 74-72 win over London Lituanica.
Eytle-Rock, who finished with a game-high 21 points, hit the winner to punctuate an incredible ending for Crusaders, who overturned a two point deficit with 11 seconds remaining following two Lituanica free throws.
An unsportsmanlike foul called on Lituanica on the inbounds with 3.8 seconds left saw Jack Burnell knock down two free throws to tie it up, setting up Eytle-Rock’s winner which dropped through the hoop at the buzzer.
“We came out the timeout, and I’d visualised myself scoring the shot before we stepped onto the court,” Eytle-Rock said of his game winner.
“Once I received the ball, I just thought to push it as far as I can, then once it left my hands I could see it going in and turned around and sprinted to my teammates. It was a huge shot, one that I’ll put in the memory books.”
Eytle-Rock, who plays for Kent in D1 through their partnership with Barking Abbey, has found his form since the Lituanica game, dropping 25 against Leicester the following game, and then 12 in the re-match vs Lituanica where they fell to a heavy loss.
“I’ve been playing really well and being efficient in my game,” Eytle-Rock added. “My confidence has been really high which is allowing me to be successful on the offensive end. I’ve been going into every game with a nothing to lose mentality which has provided benefit to my performances.”
The 6’3″ guard is currently involved with the England Under-18s, having last suited up at the Europeans in 2014 with the Under-16s.
“RJ had a tremendous game (against Lituanica),” Kent Crusaders Head Coach James Vear said after the game. “He has a lot of pressure on his young shoulders but he never shies away from it and he came up huge for us at the end.”
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