The Mount Gilead boys’ basketball team (4-10, 2-7) snapped a nine game winning streak with a 48-45 overtime win over Centerburg (7-7, 5-4) on Jan. 27, with Gage Baker coming to the rescue with a 19 point showing.
"I thought it was a great all around team win for us," Coach Nate Davis said. "The win will help us with our confidence going into the next game. Key was effort and we rebounded and limited Centerburg to one shot a possession. Our defense was active and ready to go."
Centerburg opened up the game with a basket and then Trevin Harris swatted away a shot showing they were amped up early. They tacked on another bucket to go up 4-0, but then Hayden Somerlot came away with a steal for Mount Gilead. The Indians charged up the court and Somerlot took a pass from Carson Trainer behind the three point line and drilled a shot to cut the lead to one. The Trojans added another basket to make it a 6-3 game, and ended up going up 8-5 in between steals traded off by Trevin Harris of Centerburg and Jacob Wilt of the Indians. At the end of one quarter it was a 12-8 Mount Gilead lead, led by Gage Baker’s five points.
In the second quarter the Indians scored the first five points with Baker scoring four and Mitchell Sayers hitting a free throw, before Owen Taylor of Centerburg swished a three to make it a 17-11. That would be the only scoring in the second quarter, and it was a six point lead for the Indians going into halftime.
Mount Gilead was leading 19-11 in the third quarter when Centerburg's Owen Taylor cut the lead to five with a three pointer with 6:30 left. With 4:42 on the clock, Isaiah Sule got in on the three ball scoring to make it a 21-17 game with the Indians still leading. It remained a tight game with the Indians holding a 29-28 lead after three quarters. Taylor and Suhl had five points apiece in the quarter for the Trojans, and Baker put up five of his own for the Indians.
In the fourth quarter it was a 29-28 lead in favor of Mount Gilead, and Baker put on a show on defense with a steal and blocked shot in back-to-back Centerburg possessions. However, the Trojans managed to jump out to a 33-30 lead. With 4:50 left on the clock the Trojans were looking to add to this on a fast break play coming off a Blaine Ball steal, but Somerlot came out of nowhere to swoop in for a block. The Indians battled back with four straight points to take a 34-33 lead, but Sule had a steal to give possession back to the Trojans. With the Indians up 36-35, Ball struck from deep, hitting a three to go up 38-36.
Regulation ended at 40-40 and it was time for overtime where the Indians outscored the Trojans 8-5 to secure the win. Cam Vickers led the way in overtime with four points for the Indians.
Baker was the star of the night for the Indians with 19 points and 10 boards. He was 5-for-9 shooting and he made nine free throws in the game. He also had two assists in the win.Baker has been a bright spot for the team despite the extended mid season slide, averaging team highs with 9.8 points and 6.7 boards, to go with one assist and 1.2 steals per game.
Somerlot tallied nine points including a three, and going 6-for-8 from the foul line. He also had seven boards, two steals and a block. Wilt and Vickers each had eight points and Sayers scored four points. Wilt added four rebounds and a steal, and Vickers had three boards and a steal.
Coach Davis said it was a great all-around win for the Indians, noting that Trainer was solid on the boards and Vickers brought strength to the game. Wilt was able to handle the ball and get inside the lane, while Somerlot did a good job finding open shots and handling the ball, as well. Sayers was big in the middle and played quality minutes, and Cole Fricke came off the bench and played solid defense.
"I thought our post and guards rebounded the ball well to limit one shot in the possession vs Centerburg," Davis said. "It was a great team win for the players."
Centerburg was led by Harris, who was the lone Trojan in double figures with 10 points. He added four rebounds, two assists and three steals. Jack Lawrence had nine points that all came in the fourth quarter and overtime. He had eight rebounds in the game, as well.
Rebounding proved to be a huge difference maker in the win for Mount Gilead, as they controlled the glass 40-29. Centerburg shot 35% and 20% from three, and the Indians were at 27% and only 7% from deep. Centerburg led 9-3 in assists and 8-7 in steals, and the Indians had a 2-1 block advantage.
