CHILLICOTHE — The Miami Trace Panthers visited Ohio’s first capital for a Frontier Athletic Conference game against the Cavaliers on a cold Friday night in January.
Miami Trace hung with the Cavaliers and in the end emerged with a 60-58 overtime victory.
Miami Trace junior Andrew Guthrie led the game in scoring with 22 points.
A pair of sophomores, Eli Fliehman and Austin Boedeker, each scored 12 points.
Sophomore Bryson Osborne had two three-point field goals for six points.
Cameron Hall paced the Cavaliers with 20 points and Avery Mowbray scored 15.
The game was tied, 50-50 at the end of regulation.
It was a dramatic end to regular play as Guthrie stepped to the line for two free throws with Chillicothe leading, 50-49. Heightening the drama even more was there was just .3 seconds left on the clock.
Guthrie missed the first free throw, but, with the weight of the outcome on his shoulders, he drained the second, sending the game into overtime.
Miami Trace committed five turnovers in the overtime, but outscored Chillicothe, 10-8.
Boedeker had a rebound and put-back.
Guthrie scored and was fouled, converting the three-point play for a 55-50 Miami Trace lead.
Meanwhile, Chillicothe missed its first three field goal attempts of the overtime.
The Cavs then scored in a flurry six points off of three consecutive Miami Trace turnovers to take a 56-55 lead.
The lead changed hands twice more with Fleihman putting the Panthers back in front, 57-56, only to have Chillicothe quickly go back into the lead, 58-57.
Boedeker scored again with about one minute to play; 59-58 Panthers.
The Panthers fouled and Chillicothe missed both throws.
The Panthers had another turnover, but Chillicothe missed a shot attempt.
Guthrie was fouled and made 1 of 2 throws with 22 seconds to play.
Coming out of a time out, Chillicothe launched a three-point shot for the win at the buzzer, which was no good.
“This was a big win for our kids,” Miami Trace head coach Ben Ackley said. “I feel like winning games like this on the road in a tough environment, I think we’re starting to show some growth and maturity.
“We still made a lot of mistakes,” Ackley said. “Both times against Chillicothe we’ve had turnovers that led right into their transition. That hurt us, especially in the overtime.
“We had kids step up and make big shots and big plays,” Ackley said. “I thought we showed a lot of composure late when we were down, to execute some sets and get the looks we wanted.
“I’m just very, very proud of our kids,” Ackley said. “(Chillicothe) is a good basketball team. They’re a really tough match-up for us. Both of our games with them went into overtime; both teams are very evenly matched.”
Miami Trace hosted Chillicothe on Dec. 10 and the Cavaliers won, 57-48.
Miami Trace improves to 6-10 overall, 3-5 in the FAC.
Chillicothe falls to 5-6 overall, 3-3 in the conference.
In other FAC games Friday, the Washington Blue Lions beat Hillsboro, 69-53 and McClain topped Jackson, 73-53.
McClain is now 6-1 in the FAC, Chillicothe is second at 3-3 and there is a three-way tie for third place with Washington, Hillsboro and Jackson all 3-4 in the conference and Miami Trace just a half-game back.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
MT 18 5 14 13 10 — 60
C 10 12 10 18 8 — 58
MIAMI TRACE — Hayden Hunter 0 (1)-0-3; Eli Fliehman 5-2-12; Garrett Guess 1 (1)-0-5; Bryson Osborne 0 (2)-0-6; Austin Boedeker 5-2-12; Bryson Sheets 0-0-0; Andrew Guthrie 9-4-22. TOTALS — 20 (4)-8-60. Free throw shooting: 8 of 14 for 57 percent. Three-point field goals: Osborne, 2; Hunter, Guess. Field goal shooting: 24 of 55 for 44 percent. Turnovers: 19.
CHILLICOTHE — Mason Siberell 1 (1)-0-5; Aaron Valentine 2-2-6; Michael Miller 2-2-6; Avery Mowbray 5 (1)-2-15; Cameron Hall 5 (2)-4-20; Carson Francis 3-0-6. TOTALS — 18 (4)-10-58. Free throw shooting: 10 of 21 for 48 percent. Three-point field goals: Hall, 2; Mowbray, Siberell. Field goal shooting: 22 of 54 for 41 percent. Turnovers: 6.
