The Mount Gilead boys’ basketball team (3-2, 1-0) bounced back from a tough loss to Highland (1-4, 1-3) to get back above .500 and win their first conference matchup of the season against the Danville Blue Devils (1-5, 0-1).
On Dec. 12 the Fighting Scots got their first win of the season to take down Mount Gilead in an underdog scenario.
Highland led 7-6 in the first quarter with Jace Brooks leading the way with three points. Rowan Fitzpatrick had a three in the quarter. In the second quarter Highland put the pressure on and made it a 21-11 game at halftime. Hayden Somelot hit a three for the Indians, but Toby Rogers had 10 points in the second quarter including a pair of threes.
The Indians had a 14-10 advantage to try to mount a comeback, making it a 31-25 game after three. Highland outscored Mount Gilead down the stretch 17-13 to take the win.
Highland was led by Rogers with 18 points including three makes from downtown. Dane Nauman had seven points and four steals.
Mount Gilead was led by Mitchell Sayers with 15 points. Cole Fricke was big on defense with four steals.
On Dec. 15 the Mount Gilead Indians beat the Blue Devils 55-37 in a KMAC matchup. The Indians jumped out to a 5-0 lead with 6:25 on the clock on a Fitzpatrick three pointer. Up 11-9, Brogan Pfleiderer hopped on a stripped ball and saved it from going out of bounds. He sent it to Sayers who heaved it down court to Jacob Wilt for a fast break score. It was a 13-11 lead in favor of the Indians after one quarter, led by Rowan Fitzpatrick’s five points.
They outscored Danville 13-10 in the second quarter to take a 26-21 lead at halftime. Wilt and Carson Trainer each had a block, and Cameron Vickers had a steal that led to a fast break layup.
In the third quarter Mount Gilead’s Fitzpatrick went off for eight of the team’s 18 points to lead Indians to a 44-30 third quarter lead. One play came on a nice steal where he raced down the court for a layup. Fitzpatrick also made a great play in the quarter, stealing the ball and sending a nifty dime to Wilt who was at the hoop for a layup.
They closed it out with an 11-7 advantage to secure the conference win. Fitzpatrick and Hayden Somerlot showed solid defense down the stretch with blocked shots.
Fitzpatrick led all scorers with 15 points. He also had two steals and a block on defense. Sayers scored 10 points, going 6-for-7 from the free throw line. Wilt scored nine points, Cole Fricke had six pointsTrainer scored eight points, Vickers had five points and Hunter Uster scored two points.
Walker Weckesser led the Blue Devils with 15 points. He had a three in the first quarter and 11 points before halftime. Ashton Spaulding had nine points including a first quarter three, and Wesley Payne scored seven points including a three in a seven point third quarter.
Mount Gilead shot 42% but only 8% from three. Danville was held to 24% and 22% from deep, but they did hit 82% of their free throws. Danville led 34-31 in boards and 4-5 in blocks, while Mount Gilead led 11-9 in assists and 17-9 in steals.
This week Mount Gilead faces Northmor at home on Dec. 19 and Centerburg at home on Dec. 22.
Danville takes on Centerburg on Dec. 19 on the road and then hosts Cardington-Lincoln on Dec. 22 with tip offs at 7:30 p.m.
Highland travels to Galion on Dec. 21 at 7:15 p.m.
