Licking Valley’s Dillan Stewart hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to hand the host Utica boys basketball team a 60-57 loss in Licking County League play on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
Stewart, who hit four 3-pointers including three in the final period, finished with 14 points for the Panthers (3-7, 2-4).
Seth Cooper poured in 23 points and Zach Heckman backed him with 17 points to lead Utica (3-10, 0-7), which outscored Valley 36-22 in the middle two quarters to take a 46-43 lead heading into the fourth.
Colby Stough scored 19 points and Shawn Nethers added 15 points to pace the Panthers, who opened up an 11-point lead after one quarter.
Cardington-Lincoln 59, Highland 54
Jordan Bellamy poured in eight 3-pointers, but host Highland couldn’t keep up with Cardington in a 59-54 loss in Knox Morrow Athletic Conference play on Tuesday, Jan. 19, in Sparta.
Bellamy finished with 27 points and Garrett Fitzpatrick added 11 points to pace the Fighting Scots (4-8, 2-5), who trailed 17-16 after one quarter and 29-27 at the break.
The Pirates (10-4, 6-3) pushed the lead to 39-33 at the end of three. Trey Brininger also went for 27 points, and Zach Lester and Mason White added nine points apiece for Cardington.
Mount Gilead 64, Northmor 49
Host Mount Gilead went 20-7 in the third quarter to break a tie and cruised from there to a 64-49 win over Northmor in KMAC play on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
Matthew Bland poured in 22 points, Jackson Huffer went for 19 points and Elijah Chaffin added 10 points to lead MG (5-8, 4-5).
Grant Bentley scored 16 points and Graesin Cass, Kooper Keen and Maxton Lower each added nine points for the Golden Knights (2-10, 1-6), who led 11-8 after one and were tied at 25 at the half.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Host Grace College used a 14-4 run in the second half to pull away en route to an 88-68 victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Crossroads League play on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at Ariel Arena in Mount Vernon.
Matt Jennings scored 21 points to lead five Lancers in double figures. Haden Deaton scored 17 points, Frankie Davidson had 14 points, and Cade Gibbs and Elijah Malone chipped in 10 points apiece for Grace, which turned a three-point deficit into a 44-36 lead at the half.
Gibbs finished with nine rebounds; Davidson had eight boards; and Deaton, Davidson and Jakob Gibbs each dished out four assists for the Lancers (12-5, 5-3), who pushed the lead as high as 25 in the second half.
Clay Hilliard and Kade Ruegsegger led the Cougars (3-7, 3-4) with 18 and 17 points, respectively. Hilliard also led with seven rebounds and Ruegsegger added a team-high three assists to go with four boards.
