BUFFALO TWP — Late impact plays served Freeport and Slippery Rock well on Wednesday night, as both came out on top in their matchups at the former’s four-team holiday gathering.

In the earlier clash, the Rockets outlasted Obama Academy, 45-43, thanks in part to the crafty play of senior swingman Jacob Wolak. Down one late in the third quarter, he powered into the paint and kicked it out of the arc to Josh Book, getting hit in the face in the process.

Book sunk the only trey of the contest for Slippery Rock (2-4) and Wolak picked himself up off the hardwood to get in position on defense. After checking to see if his nose was cut open by the blow, he pick-pocketed the Eagles’ ball-handler in front of him and dropped it into the basket.

“It got me fired up a little bit,” Wolak said. “Definitely a little more energy and a little more drive to go down and try and get a steal. I saw he (Book) made the shot after I got hit in the face, which was nice. It paid off and then I got another steal and nowhere else to go with it but the hoop.”

Obama Academy’s Torrien Perkins knotted the game up at 43 with just over a minute to go and, after a Rockets timeout, Wolak bounce-passed the ball to Quinn Parson, whose lay-in sealed the win for their side with 16 seconds to go.

“(I’m) not as big of a scorer as some of the guards on our team, but I like to think that I do better in passing and setting them up,” Wolak said. “Good feeds, driving in (and) kicking out. I think that sets us up better for success.”

John Sabo led the team with 15 points and Dylan Gordon posted another 13 before leaving the floor with an injury. Wolak netted six points and his role, however thankless, was instrumental against the Eagles (3-3).

“He just is a really gritty player,” Slippery Rock coach A.J. Motta said of the three-year starter, Wolak. “He’s always hung his hat on the defensive end and just been a real pest for other teams, getting deflections, steals ... For me, it was just Jake getting back to himself.

“That was really huge for us, especially down the stretch.”

OBAMA ACADEMY 43

Perkins 9 3-4 22, Rodgers 4 0-0 10, Smalls 1 3-3 5, Jackson 2 0-0 4, Harris 1 0-0 2. Totals: 17 6-7 43.

SLIPPERY ROCK 45

John Sabo 5 5-5 15, Dylan Gordon 6 1-1 13, Jacob Wolak 3 0-0 6, Levi Prementine 2 0-0 4, Quinn Parson 2 0-0 4, Josh Book 1 0-0 3. Totals: 19 6-6 45.

Obama Academy 13 7 10 13 — 43

Slippery Rock 10 10 16 9 — 45

3-point goals: Obama Academy 3 (Rodgers 2, Perkins); Slippery Rock 1 (Book)

Freeport 69, Brashear 64

The Yellowjackets never trailed against Brashear, putting the Bulls away 69-64, and securing their fifth victory in a row. In the late stages, Freeport had to hold off the visitors after conceding 28 points in the final frame.

After helping the ‘Jackets to the WPIAL semifinals on the gridiron, senior guard Gavin Croney got to role-play as a quarterback once more. On a pair of inbound plays from the baseline, he connected with junior Brady Sullivan, who streaked down the left sideline and notched layups that helped fend Brashear off.

Sullivan led his team with 18 total points.

“We had our first one tipped and asked, ‘Who can make a pass?’” Freeport coach Sean Devinney said. “I kind of looked up and saw Gavin and thought he was the right man for the job. He put it right on the money.”

The ‘Jackets (6-2) led by 11 at the beginning of the last quarter.

“We played with a lot more energy and more effort in the second half,” Bulls coach Carey White said. “We’ve been off for a while and we weren’t even supposed to come to this tournament ... It took us about a half to get our feet underneath us.”

“You let a team score that many points and obviously they’re going to come back,” Devinney said. “(We) just kind of lost defensive principles. I’m happy we got the W, but it’s about growth.”

The similarities to his deep passes in the fall weren’t lost on Croney.

“Throwing the ball to Sully there, I actually said to him on the court, ‘It’s like football out there,’” he said. “I just knew I had to fake my defender out going the one way and get up over top. I knew he was going to be open.”

The lesson won’t be lost, either, even in a win.

“It’s not as pretty as we wanted it to look, but we definitely learned off of it,” Croney said.

Dean Furer scored 14 in the win, while Zach Clark added 13.

BRASHEAR 64

Milner 18, Gillett 14.

FREEPORT 69

Brady Sullivan 15 6-6 18, Dean Furer 7 0-3 14, Zach Clark 5 0-0 13, Ben Lane 2 3-4 7, Gavin Glista 1 4-6 6, Gavin Croney 2 0-0 4, Brady Stivenson 2 0-1 4, Parker Lucas 1 1-2 3. Totals: 35 14-22 69.

Brashear 11 11 14 28 — 64

Freeport 17 15 15 22 — 69