Senior Chris Battiste scored off an inbound pass with 20 seconds to play to lift Forest Hills Central to a 52-51 win over OK Red champ Rockford Tuesday in the division one district opener.
"The winning play right there, that is not at all what we designed," Battiste said. "The plan was for me to cut back door but I mean it was open he (Peyton Bush) tossed it up and I put it in."
Rockford scored seven straight points to take the lead, 51-50 with 30 seconds to play.
The Rangers used a 14-1 run with consecutive threes from senior Jonah Spates to take a 50-44 lead with two minutes to play.
"Last year they took us out of the playoffs," Spates said. "This means more than I can put into words right now."
Last season it was the Rams that upset the Rangers in the district opener after FHC had won 15 games, Tuesday the tables were completely reversed.
"We certainly referenced the fact that last year ended in a way that we didn't want it to," FHC head coach Kyle Carhart said. "It is rare that you get a chance to seek some sort of revenge on the basketball court and in doing so these guys were motivated, they always seem motivated but I was really proud with the effort they played with."
Junior Conner Milton led the Rangers with 15 points
Sam Krist led Rockford with a game-high 20 points.
Forest Hills Central (11-4) advances to play Northview at Northview in one district semifinal on Thursday.
Forest Hills Northern plays Lowell in the other semifinal.
