Northmor 69, Clear Fork 63 (2OT)
Northmor (6-4, 4-2) and Clear Fork (3-7, 0-5) battled through two overtimes in what Northmor basketball coach Blade Tackett called an "absolute classic." The Golden Knights took home an exciting and epic 69-63 win, led by solid offensive displays by Grant Bentley and Jax Wenger.
Northmor led 13-11 after one quarter and 24-22 at the half; Wenger scored 11 points to lead the offense. Northmor made it a 40-34 game in the third quarter, with Wenger scoring five points. Clear Fork battled back with a 17-11 fourth-quarter advantage to send the game to overtime, tied 51-51.
"Drew Hammond hit a big three in the fourth at a tie game and Hunter Fulk got an 'and-one' in overtime that sealed it," Tackett said. "Huge credit to Clear Fork. We were up five with under 20 seconds in the fourth. We fouled a shooter. He hits two. We turn it over, and then Adam Vanausdle banks in a three for Clear Fork at the buzzer to send it to the first overtime. It was just everything you want out of a high school basketball game. Electric crowds on both sides. Packed gym. What an experience for these kids."
Each team scored only five points in the first overtime, bringing the game into a second extra frame. Northmor was able to come back and hit timely free throws to seal the win. The Knights netted them when they were needed, despite struggling at the line (23-for-36) earlier in the game.
"Super proud of our guys' resilience," Tackett said. "Wenger and Bentley led us in scoring again, but we got huge plays from our guys all around. We struggled with free throws in the fourth, but Caleb Schnuerer stepped up in a big way, knocking them down in the second overtime. He also gave a massive defensive effort and rebounded strong, and we got great play from Drew Hammond and Hunter Fulk."
Bentley was the top scorer in the game with 22 points; notably, he was 9-for-11 at the free throw line. Wenger hit 20 points and Fulk scored 11, including a pair of threes. Schnuerer and Hammond rounded out the scoring with six points each.
Ridgemont 74, Mount Gilead 73
Mount Gilead (4-5, 2-3) and Ridgemont (3-5, 1-0) battled it out until the end on Dec. 28. Despite a huge shooting night for Carter Kennon, the Indians fell to the Golden Gophers 74-73.
Mount Gilead took a 5-4 lead off a three-pointer by Kennon in the first quarter. He struck again later in the quarter from deep with a corner three to cut Ridegmont's lead to 18-15.
Kennon tied the game 26-26 in the second quarter with another three from the corner. Mount Gilead took a 42-39 lead in the third quarter off a steal and fast break with approximately 7:30 on the clock. Kennon drained another three-pointer with 3:55 left in the third; this put the score at 49-47 with Ridgemont leading. Kennon then scored on a fast break to make it a 53-51 game with 1:59 left in the third. Aaron Gannon hit a three with about a minute left in the third to make it a one-point game; the Indians trailed 55-54.
Matt Bland hit a three in the fourth quarter on a Mount Gilead fast break to cut the lead to two points, 72-70. But, Ridgemont was able to hold on for the win.
Mount Gilead shot 46% from the field and 35% from downtown. They out-rebounded Ridgemont 32-31 and had advantages in steals 6-5 and blocks 4-2.
Kennon was the top scorer with 28 points, including going 4-for-6 from three and a perfect 8-for-8 from the line. He also had five boards, a steal, and a block. Gannon had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds to go with four assists, two steals, and two blocks. Bland scored 14 points and gathered five boards while dishing out three assists. He also had a steal.
Highland 46, Cardington-Lincoln 37
Highland (4-5, 0-4) had nine players in the scoring column for the second straight game, leading to a 46-37 win over Cardington-Lincoln (5-5, 2-2) at the Highland Holiday Showcase. It was the second straight win for the Fighting Scots.
The Pirates got on the board first, leading 3-0, then Kort Sears tied the game for Highland with a corner three. Sears also showed tight defense with a steal when the game was tied 5-5. Ranger Steck hit a corner three with the game tied to take a 12-9 lead. The game was tied 14-14 after one quarter.
The game was still tied 14-14 in the second quarter, with 4:30 left on the clock. Gavin Toombs scored on a fast break lay-up to put the Scots up by two. Toombs showed his ups with a one-handed slam off a fast break effort, with a 17-14 lead. Highland took a 22-21 halftime lead.
Highland widened the gap in the third quarter. They had a 12-7 scoring advantage, highlighted by a three-pointer by Steck and a steal that finished with a fast-break lay-up, also by Steck. The Fighting Scots finished the game strong, outscoring the Pirates 12-9. Brock Church nailed a three.
"Playing with the lead most of the night, the boys were able to pull away in the second half by showing great composure and out-executing the Pirates down the stretch," Highland basketball coach Mike Delaney said.
Toombs led the team in scoring with 10 points. Church and Steck each added nine points, Sears scored seven points, Aron West had four points, and Gavin DeBord, Dane Nauman, Zach Schmidt, and Zach Church each had two points.
Highland had a 32-31 rebounding advantage and a 10-5 assist advantage. Cardington-Lincoln led in steals 9-6 and blocks 3-2. Highland hit 36% of their shots and the Pirates drained 33%.
Centerburg 60, KIPP Columbus 59
Centerburg (6-3, 5-0) took on KIPP Columbus (7-2, 2-0) in the Bobcat Holiday Classic on Dec. 28. The Trojans got another big night out of the combination of Grayson Reynolds and Colton Martin, who scored 18 points each in a 60-59 win.
Martin had a double/double in the tight win, posting 18 points, 12 boards, two assists, two steals, and a block. Reynolds went 2-for-3 from three-point land and was 4-for-6 from the line. He also tallied five assists, three rebounds, and a pair of steals. Isaiah Sule scored seven points and gathered six boards and four assists. Jack Lawrence scored six points and had five boards and an assist. Trevin Harris scored six points to go with two assists and two boards. Carter Morgenstern scored five points to go with three boards, two blocks, and an assist.
Grandview 64, Centerburg 43
The Bobcat Holiday Classic continued on Dec. 29. Grandview (4-3, 2-2) had their way with Centerburg and took home a 64-43 win.
Colton Martin scored 12 points and hit both of his three-point attempts. He added five boards and three assists. Isaiah Sule scored 10 points and had two boards, three assists, and a steal. Jack Lawrence and Trevin Harris each had six points. Lawrence added eight boards and Harris had three boards of his own.
Lexington 66, Mount Vernon 55
Despite a huge scoring night by Mount Vernon's Hudson Rohler, undefeated Lexington (8-0 and 4-0 in OCC) toppled MV (4-5, 2-4 in OCC) 66-55 on Dec. 30. This dealt the Yellow Jackets their fifth straight defeat after a 4-0 start. Lexington jumped out to a 17-9 lead after one. The Jackets closed the gap in the second before dropping to a 32-23 deficit at halftime. The Yellow Jackets hung tough in the third and closed to within 49-43 after three, but the Minutemen were too much on the fourth and finished with an 11-point margin of victory.
Rohler scored in each quarter and finished with a game-high 37 points for Mount Vernon. Cooper Carpenter added seven for the Jackets.
Mount Vernon basketball coach Nick Coon praised his team's resolve.
"We gave a great effort against a big and talented team," he said. "We cut it to one late in the third quarter, but just couldn't get over the hump. They had four guys in double figures, and they have a lot of size and athleticism across the board that made it difficult for us to get stops consistently. Our players continue to fight, and that's what it will take for us to earn a win against our difficult schedule."
