Elijah Larue, Seth Cooper and Zach Heckman combined for 18 points in the fourth quarter to help the Utica boys basketball team put away host Lakewood 51-44 in LCL play on Saturday, Jan. 30, in Hebron.
Cooper finished with 20 points, Heckman added 10 points and Larue chipped in nine points including seven in the fourth quarter, as Utica erased a 33-31 deficit at the end of three.
Trenton Collins paced the Lancers (0-13, 0-8) with 14 points.
Centerburg 53, East Knox 45
Carter Jones hit three of Centerburg’s five second-quarter 3-pointers, and the Trojans parlayed a 32-22 halftime lead into a 53-45 victory over host East Knox in KMAC play on Friday, Jan. 29, in Howard.
Jones finished with a game-best 20 points to lead the Trojans (11-2, 9-0). He downed four of the team’s eight shots from long distance.
Shane Knepp scored 15 points and Dillon Moreland added nine points on three 3s to pace the Bulldogs (8-7, 6-5).
Bland gets hot in pair of MG wins
Matthew Bland connected on five 3-pointers and scored 23 points to lead Mount Gilead to a 73-52 win at Highland in KMAC play on Friday, Jan. 29.
He topped it the following night with seven 3-pointers and 27 points as host MG defeated Galion 63-47 in non-league play on Saturday, Jan. 30.
Elijah Chafin buried all five of his long balls in the first half as MG (7-10, 5-6) built a 45-27 lead at the break against the Fighting Scots. Jackson Huffer added 11 points, going a perfect 8-for-8 at the foul line for MG.
Bland knocked down four 3s in a 20-point second quarter against Galion. Chafin had 18 points on an 11-of-12 effort at the line, and Huffer added 10 points.
MG went 37 of 43 (86%) from the free-throw line in the two victories.
Rider Minnick scored 14 points and Jordan Bellamy added 12 points to lead the Scots (4-13, 2-9).
Rece Payne scored 21 points to lead the Tigers (0-13).
Licking Valley 76, Highland 63
Shawn Nethers caught fire with four 3s in the first quarter as host Licking Valley built a 26-11 lead over Highland. The Scots couldn’t recover and fell 76-63 in non-league play on Saturday, Jan. 30, in Newark.
Nethers finished with a game-best 29 points, Dillon Stewart scored 22 points, Clayton Orr added 13 points and Zach Hersey chipped in 10 points for the Panthers (4-10).
Brock Church and Rider Minnick scored 18 points apiece and Jordan Bellamy added 11 points for the Scots.
Fredericktown 67, Danville 37
Host Fredericktown built a 35-13 lead at the break and cruised to a 67-37 win over Danville in KMAC play on Friday, Jan. 29.
Caleb Sheriff scored 15 points, Thomas Caputo had 14 points and Kaid Carpenter added 10 points to lead the Freddies (15-1, 10-1).
Aaron Mezie had seven points to lead the Blue Devils (1-13, 0-9).
