Caden Rowland took a charge with 10 seconds left to help the Mount Vernon boys basketball team hand Wooster its first loss in Ohio Cardinal Conference play, 58-55, on Friday, Feb. 5, at The Hive in Mount Vernon.
With the Yellow Jackets leading 56-55, Rowland stepped in front of a driving David Nolen in the paint. Dayne Burgess fed Blake Meyer for a layup with 1 second left to account for the final margin.
Rowland went for a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds and added three assists for Jackets (5-12, 4-6), who lost to the Generals by 32 points in Wooster earlier in the season.
Meyer finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and five blocked shots to lead Mount Vernon.
Hudson Rohler gave the Jackets the lead for good at the 3:51 mark of the fourth quarter. Dayne Burgess found Meyer for a corner 3 on the next possession for some breathing room.
Rohler had 15 points, six rebounds and four assists; and Nolan Belcher added nine points on three first-half 3-pointers.
Down 10 points in the third quarter, the Jackets used an 11-0 run to briefly take the lead; and the game was back-and-forth until the midway through the fourth.
Nolen had 14 points, five rebounds and four assists and Micah McKee had 13 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, four blocks and a pair of steals to lead the Generals (11-2, 8-1).
Owen Roach added 10 points and seven boards, and Brayden Hamilton chipped in eight points and four assists for Wooster, which moved into a first-place tie in the loss column with Ashland in OCC play.
Freddies defense stands tall in pair of wins
Host Fredericktown posted a 16-3 first quarter and led 28-8 at the half en route to a 58-37 win over Marion Elgin on Saturday, Feb. 6.
The strong defensive start came a night after the Freddies held Northmor to two points in the second quarter and rolled to a 54-35 win in KMAC play on Friday, Feb. 6, in Galion.
Caleb Sheriff caught fire with four 3-pointers on his way to a 20-point night against Elgin, and Lincoln Cunningham added 12 points for Fredericktown.
Cunningham scored 19 points, Kaid Carpenter had 14 points and Ty Hatfield added 11 points to lead the Freddies (17-1, 11-1) against Northmor.
Harrison Seger scored 13 points for the Comets (7-12).
Kooper Keen had 12 points and Grant Bentley added 11 points for the Golden Knights.
Trojans notch two wins in KMAC play
Centerburg used a 21-12 third quarter to overcome a two-point deficit at the half. The third frame helped the Trojans avoid an upset at the hands of Northmor with a 56-52 win in KMAC play on Saturday, Feb. 6, in Galion.
It came a day after Mckinnon Mead hit a pair of 3s and scored eight points in the fourth quarter to help Centerburg hold off host Cardington 54-47 in KMAC play on Friday, Feb. 5.
Mead and Carter Jones, who scored six points in the final quarter, had 16 points apiece to lead the Trojans (13-2, 11-0) against the Pirates.
Jones scored 17 points and Levi Houck added 11 points in Centerburg’s win at Northmor.
Nate Hickman had 14 points and Mason White added 10 points for the Pirates (13-5, 8-4), who trailed 35-34 after three.
Graesin Cass led the Knights (2-15, 1-10) with 14 points.
Melick helps Bulldogs complete weekend sweep
Weston Melick poured in 32 points to help East Knox notch its second win of the weekend with a 74-35 decision over Granville Christian on Saturday, Feb. 6, in Howard.
Melick went for 16 points in the Bulldogs’ 52-46 win over host Mount Gilead in KMAC play on Friday, Feb. 5. Terry Jacobs poured in 17 points and Scott Bates added nine points for East Knox (10-7, 7-5), which led MG 23-14 at the half and 36-25 through three quarters.
Elijah Chafin scored 18 points to lead MG (7-11, 5-7) on the strength of a 10-for-11 effort at the foul line.
Joe Benvie led the Lions (5-9) with 14 points.
Devils fall in back-to-back games
Danville fell victim to strong second halves in both games over the weekend.
Host Highland broke it open with a 36-15 second half to secure a 67-44 win over the Blue Devils in KMAC play on Friday, Feb. 5, in Sparta.
Then, Patriot Prep outscored host Danville 43-22 in the second half to win 65-44 in non-league play on Saturday, Feb. 6.
Brock Church poured in 24 points, Jordan Bellamy went for 16 points and Gavin Hankins had 11 points to lead the Fighting Scots (5-13, 3-9).
Darren Mickley scored 18 points and Wyatt Weckesser added 11 points for the Devils (1-16, 0-10) against Highland.
Dwayne Gilmore scored a game-best 21 points and Darius Ogburn had 17 points to lead the Eagles (12-4).
Weckesser led the way with 11 points for Danville, which was tied with Patriot Prep at 22 at the half.
