Mount Vernon (10-11, 7-0) battled right to the end against the top team in the Ohio Cardinal Conference in Lexington (20-2, 14-0), but the Minutemen were able to hold on for a 61-58 win over the Yellow Jackets for Coach Scott Hamilton’s 200th career win.
The win completed an undefeated 14-0 season in the OCC for Lexington, who went 20-2 overall. Hamilton is the winningest coach in Lexington’s history.
In the first quarter, Elijah Hudson broke a 7-7 tie with a fast break dunk to put Lexington up by two.
It was tied 19-19 in the second quarter when Seven Allen scored on a fast break layup to go up by two. Lexington went up 28-20 on a Gavin Husty layup, and then 31-23 on a corner three.
In the third quarter, Allen scored on a fast break to go up 37-30. Hudson then hit a three later in the quarter to make it as 43-36 lead for the Minutemen. Husty sank a three of his own to give Lexington a 49-41 lead.
In the fourth quarter it was as 55-46 game when Brayden Fogle slammed it home on a fast break score.
Jack Marhefka made a big three at the end of the game for the Yellow Jackets to make things interesting, putting the score at 60-56 with 14 seconds left. The Minutemen took a timeout and then Brayden Fogle was fouled immediate. He made the first free throw to go up by five. The second foul shot missed and Mount Vernon regained possession. Marhefka tried for another three and couldn’t hit it, but Quentin Rowland was able to put it back for a layup to make it a 61-58 game. Lexington held on the rest of the way for the tight conference win.
Lexington was led by Fogle’s 18 points and six boards. Husty had 17 points and three rebounds, and went 4-for-7 from deep. Allen had 10 points and seven assists. Hudson added eight points and six rebounds. Joe Caudill had six points but grabbed 12 boards in the win.
Mount Vernon was led by Marhefka’s 16 points, and was 4-for-6 from downtown. Isaiah Columber had 15 points and Rowland scored 11 points.
Lexington shot 51% and 40% from three, while Mount Vernon shot 42% and 38%. Lexington dominated the glass 38-17, which proved to be a difference maker.
Lexington finished out the regular season over the weekend with a tough 58-54 loss to Ottawa-Glandorf (18-3, 8-0).
