The Washington Blue Lions hosted the McClain Tigers on a snowy Tuesday night in Fayette County.
Stated simply, it was a tough night for the Blue Lions and a good night for the Tigers as McClain posted a 51-35 victory.
McClain got the ball inside with regularity to senior Jacob Starkey, who led the game with 23 points.
Seniors Mat Barton and Owen O’Connor both added eight points for the Tigers.
For the Blue Lions, seniors Kenny Upthegrove and Kory Proby both scored 12 points.
The game was close in the early going, with the teams essentially trading baskets.
At the end of the first quarter, the game was tied, 12-12.
The second quarter proved the difference in this game.
McClain hit 7 of 13 shots, including three three-point field goals.
At the same time, Washington went icy cold, making 1 of 12 shots and scoring just 2 points.
The Tigers led the Blue Lions, 30-14 at the half.
The Blue Lions tried to reestablish their offensive plan in the third quarter and they did outscore the Tigers, 15-13.
McClain took a 43-29 lead into the final period.
In the fourth, Washington had another cool shooting period, making just 2 of 12 shot attempts.
The Tigers hit 4 of 8 and won the quarter, 8-6 to take the victory, 51-35.
Unofficially, McClain made 22 of 40 field goal attempts for 55 percent.
Washington, again unofficially, made 14 of 40 from the floor for 35 percent.
Turnovers were comparable, with Washington having 15 and McClain, 14.
The Blue Lions went 6 of 11 from the foul line, while the Tigers canned 3 of 4 from the charity stripe.
McClain’s zone defense bothered the Blue Lions.
“We knew they were going to play zone,” Washington head coach Shannon Bartruff said. “They’ve played zone in every game this year. It’s a great defense for them, because they’re huge. I didn’t put our guys in a good situation to win.
“In the second, third and fourth quarters, we didn’t do a good job of executing,” Bartruff said. “We didn’t do a good job of attacking the zone, reversing the ball, taking gaps when they were given to us, making the extra pass. We didn’t know who we were guarding on defense.
“Starkey killed us in the post,” Bartruff said. “They have a size advantage on us. I just didn’t have our guys ready to play and that’s my fault. I’ll take the blame for it.”
“Whenever we can make some shots, our offense looks better,” McClain head coach Jesse Mitchell said. “We’re still not running the offense how I would like. We don’t get layups. We did do a better job of looking inside tonight.
“Jacob did a good job of kicking the ball back out for some jumpers,” Mitchell said. “Defensively, I think we’re coming along in our man and our zone. When you play three defenses, it’s hard to be really good at one.
“Any road win is big,” Mitchell said. “We only won five games last year, so, this is big.”
Washington (3-1 overall, 2-1 SCOL) is at Hillsboro Friday for another SCOL game. The reserve game starts at 6 p.m.
McClain (2-3 overall, 1-2 SCOL) is at home Friday to host East Clinton.
Hillsboro lost to Miami Trace Tuesday, 77-53. Elsewhere in the SCOL, Chillicothe slipped by Clinton-Massie, 72-69 and Wilmington defeated East Clinton, 69-40.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Mc 12 18 13 8 — 51
W 12 2 15 6 — 35
WASHINGTON — Dillon Steward 0-0-0; Jarett Patton 0 (1)-0-3; Evan Upthegrove 1-2-4; Kory Proby 5-2-12; Kenny Upthegrove 6-0-12; Richard Burns Jr. 1-2-4. TOTALS — 13 (1)-6-35. Free throw shooting: 6 of 11 for 55 percent. Three-point field goal: Patton. Combined field goal shooting: 14 of 40 for 35 percent. Turnovers: 15.
McCLAIN — Dakotah Duncan 0-0-0; Owen O’Connor 4-0-8; Brock Dean 0 (2)-0-6; Jacob Starkey 11-1-23; Mat Barton 0 (2)-2-8; Jansen Knaff 0-0-0; Dalton Mischal 1-0-2; Landre Gray 1-0-2; Jay Beatty 1-0-2; Bryson Rickman 0-0-0; Justin Osborne 0-0-0. TOTALS — 18 (4)-3-51. Free throw shooting: 3 of 4 for 75 percent. Three-point field goals: Dean, 2; Barton, 2. Combined field goal shooting: 22 of 40 for 55 percent. Turnovers: 14.
McClain wins j-v game against Blue Lions
The McClain Tigers won the j-v game at Washington High School Tuesday, 38-19.
McClain is now 2-2 overall, 1-2 in the SCOL.
Washington is now 1-3 overall, 1-2 in the SCOL.
Dakota Irvin was the game’s leading scorer for McClain with 10 points.
Kobe Penwell had six points (including one three-point basket) and a trio of players, Ethan Cockerill, Devin Carter and Trevor Tite, each scored four points; David Jett scored three points (one three-point field goal), Eric Anderson, Reece Schluep and Zane Mustard each scored two points and Evan Hutchinson scored one point.
For the Blue Lions, Ross Matthews led with seven points. He hit one three-point field goal.
Eli Lynch scored five points, Levi Ludwick hit a three-point field goal for three points and Miguel O’Flaherty and George Reno each scored two points.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
W 5 7 3 4 — 19
Mc 7 7 11 13 — 38
