For a majority of the game, Lehighton point guard Anthony Rossino was the shortest player on the court. However, his impact on the game's outcome stood tall above all others.

The senior hit seven of eight free throws in the final two minutes, came up with three steals, and scored 15 of his game-high 19 points in the final frame to bring his team back for a 62-59 win over East Stroudsburg South.The Indians (12-9 overall) needed to defeat the Cavaliers in order to make it into the MVC playoffs and overcome double digit deficits that they faced throughout most of the game. However, the Tribe switched their defense, turned the 'intensity knob' up a few notches, and came together as a team to pull off the enormous victory."I just think they made more plays than we did," East Stroudsburg South head coach Shawn Munford said. "I think part of that was picking up the aggression."After the first quarter, the Cavaliers were up 20-8 and seemed well on their way to the win. Kyle Kelly nailed 10 points in the session and O'Neal Holder added six to produce the early swell. Lehighton, meanwhile, seemed to be going through the motions and lacked the sense of urgency needed."I just think early on, we were playing poorly and we weren't playing as a team," Rossino mentioned. "But we came together late in the game and it showed because things definitely picked up."Lehighton began chipping away at the difference in the second, as Tyler Crum took it strong down the lane and a Vince Mele lay-up off a Cavalier turnover got things started. Jordan Knappenberger followed with a triple and two free throws, before Rossino found Nick Chambers underneath for a bucket to produce a 33-24 halftime result.The third started with buckets by Holder and Benny Nieves, giving South a 37-25 lead with 6:44 left. However, a lay-up off a steal by Knappenberger started a 14-7 run to end the frame, with Crum connecting on five free throws during the stretch.In the fourth, the two sides traded blows, before Holder's drive down the lane made it 50-46 with 5:11 remaining. However, that's when Rossino stepped up and things started 'picking up.'He began a 9-0 run with a lay-up off a Farano assist, stole the Cavs' ensuing possession and layed it in to tie it at 50. Crum's free throw then gave the winners the lead for good, before Rossino swiped a pass and dashed in for another two. After an Indian defensive stop, he dropped two free throws to give his team a 55-50 lead with just over two minutes to go."I have to give credit to the kids for not quitting, and at half we made a big switch defensively that put Anthony out on the wing, which allowed him to get some steals" Lehighton head coach Rich Oertner said. "We got momentum going and once you got momentum going, it's hard to stop."A Kyle Kelly baseline drive stopped the bleeding, cutting the Indian lead to three, but Mele ensued with a lay-up off a Rossino feed with 1:29 to go.An Andre Jackson lay-up and free throw made it 57-55 with 42 ticks left, but Rossino's poise at the charity stripe stood fast, as he hit five of six the rest of the way for the win.Oertner was happy with the way his team responded to the challenge of facing such a huge deficit earlier."The kids stayed within themselves and didn't lose their composure and that was huge," he mentioned. "We knew that if we got it down to five or six, we had the chance to grab the momentum, and we did."Rossino finished the game with his 19 points, added four assists and four steals, while Jordan Knappenberger followed with 11. Mele, Farano and Crum all scored 10 apiece for the winners as well, with Farano snaring eight rebounds and dropping five assists.Jackson led the Cavaliers with 16 points.Lehighton also won the JV game, as Tyler Williams scored 12 points.EAST STROUDSBURG SO.Holder 6-0-1-13, Nieves 5-0-1-12, Jackson 7-2-5-16, Wilson 1-0-0-2, Kelly 5-2-4-12, Swinton 1-0-2-2, Davy 1-0-0-2. TOTALS: 26-4-13-59.LEHIGHTONRossino 6-7-9-19, Farano 4-1-2-10, Crum 2-6-8-10, Chambers 1-0-1-2, J. Knappenberger 3-3-5-11, Mele 3-4-4-10. TOTALS: 19-21-29-62.East Stroudsburg South 20 13 11 15 - 59Lehighton 8 16 15 23 - 62Three pointers: ESS - Nieves 2, Holder 1; L - J. Knappenberger 2, Farano 1.