Transition key as Blue Lions beat Panthers, 74-51

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The Washington Blue Lions hosted the Miami Trace Panthers in front of a very large crowd Friday night.

The Panthers jumped out to a 12-4 run, but the Blue Lions quickly got things together and went on to post a 74-57 victory.

Washington senior Reico Colter was the game’s leading scorer with 35 points.

Junior Raleigh Haithcock and sophomore Isaiah Haithcock both scored 10 points and junior Tanner Lemaster scored nine.

Miami Trace junior Andrew Guthire led his team with 20 points.

Sophomore Eli Fliehman scored 15 and sophomore Bryson Osborne scored seven.

Washington led 17-13 at the end of the first quarter.

With the score 13-12 in favor of the Panthers, the Blue Lions went on a 17-0 run.

The Blue Lions led 41-20 at the half.

It was 63-35 after three quarters of play.

“We knew they were going to zone us,” Washington Blue Lion head coach Shannon Bartruff said. “We knew we had to execute in the half court. We were able to put some guys in the middle of the zone to make plays.

“I thought the key to the game was the pace that we played at,” Bartruff said. “We needed the game to be a track meet, they wanted it to be a half court game. Our style won out tonight.

“I’m pleased with our effort,” Bartruff said. “I thought we rebounded the ball really well. Andrew (Guthrie) still scored 20 points. I thought we did a pretty good job on him at times. He’s just a really good player. He just made plays.

“The big thing was the transition,” Bartruff said. “We turned them over and we got out and got easy buckets. And Reico (Colter) was Reico, zone or man. If you turn him loose and let him get in the paint, he’s going to make the right play nine out of 10 times.

“We just match up a lot better with them when we have our full roster,” Bartruff said. Miami Trace hosted Washington on Dec. 18 and won that game, 55-49.

“Tanner (Lemaster) only scored nine, but I thought he did a great job rebounding the ball,” Bartruff said. “I thought he did a great job on Guthrie. If he doesn’t rush a couple of those bunnies early, he’s probably got 15 or 16 points.

“I watched (Eli) Fliehman go 5 for 5 last night (against Stivers),” Bartruff said. “He ended up making 5 out of 6. Tonight he makes three more threes tonight. They made seven threes.

“Our defense allowed us to get out in transition,” Bartruff said. “We rebounded the ball really well, which allowed us to get out and run as well.”

“They’re very explosive,” Miami Trace head coach Ben Ackley said of the Blue Lions. “We certainly didn’t play the way we wanted to tonight. I’m proud of the start we had and I’m proud of our finish, because we didn’t quit. I wouldn’t trade this group for any in the world.”

“We’ve got to do as good a job as we can getting these sophomores back in a groove,” Ackley said. “We struggled at the beginning (of the season). Then we caught fire and had a great three weeks.

“Now we’ve kind of slumped a little bit,” Ackley said. “I see some bodies kind of breaking down a little bit. We’ll be right back at it at 7 in the morning.

Washington improves to 12-6 with a game today at home against Vinton County beginning with the freshman game at 4:45 p.m.

Miami Trace finishes the regular season at 6-16. The Panthers next play at Gallia Academy in the Sectional tournament Friday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

W 17 24 22 11 — 74

MT 13 7 15 16 — 57

WASHINGTON — Reico Colter 10 (3)-6-35; John Wall 0-3-3; Gabe Wightman 0-0-0; Brayden May 0 (1)-0-3; Raleigh Haithcock 2 (2)-0-10; Garrett Rickman 0-0-0; Troy Thompson 0-0-0; Gabe Tayese 1-0-2; Micah Brown 1-0-2; Coleden May 0-0-0; Tanner Lemaster 2 (1)-2-9; Isaiah Haithcock 5-0-10; Nathan Upthegrove 0-0-0. TOTALS — 21 (7)-11-74. Free throw shooting: 11 of 17 for 65 percent. Three-point field goals: Colter, 3; R. Haithcock, 2; B. May, Lemaster. Field goal shooting: 28 of 57 for 49 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 7 of 20 for 35 percent. Turnovers: 9. Offensive rebounds: 6.

MIAMI TRACE — Shay Salyers 0-0-0; Hayden Hunter 1-2-4; Eli Fliehman 2 (3)-2-15; Braeden Morris 0-0-0; Garrett Guess 0-0-0; Brady Armstrong 1-0-2; Gage Stuckey 0-0-0; Bryson Osborne 1 (1)-2-7; Austin Boedeker 0-0-0; Bryson Sheets 0-0-0; Andrew Guthrie 7 (2)-0-20; Pierce McCarty 0-0-0; Holden Hunter, 0 (1)-0-3. TOTALS — 12 (7)-6-57. Free throw shooting: 6 of 13 for 46 percent. Three-point field goals: Fliehman, 3; Guthrie, 2; Osborne, Ho. Hunter. Field goal shooting: 19 of 49 for 39 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 7 of 18 for 39 percent. Turnovers: 19. Assists: 10. Steals: 2. Blocked shots: 3.

The Washington Blue Lions honored their one senior basketball player and two senior cheerleaders at the game against Miami Trace Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. (l-r); Cheyenne Tuttle, Reico Colter and Shelbee Crago.
https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2022/02/web1_Blue-Lion-seniors-take-2-2-11-2022-1.jpgThe Washington Blue Lions honored their one senior basketball player and two senior cheerleaders at the game against Miami Trace Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. (l-r); Cheyenne Tuttle, Reico Colter and Shelbee Crago.

NATIONAL ANTHEM — (l-r); Sonny Walters, Rob Pittser and Eric Pitstick presented a very fine rendition of the National Anthem prior to the rivalry game between the Miami Trace Panthers and Washington Blue Lions at Washington High School Friday, Feb. 11, 2022.
https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2022/02/web1_National-anthem-2-11-2022-1.jpgNATIONAL ANTHEM — (l-r); Sonny Walters, Rob Pittser and Eric Pitstick presented a very fine rendition of the National Anthem prior to the rivalry game between the Miami Trace Panthers and Washington Blue Lions at Washington High School Friday, Feb. 11, 2022.

Washington sophomore Isaiah Haithcock (left) launches a shot over Miami Trace sophomore Austin Boedeker Friday, Feb. 11, 2022 at Washington High School.
https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2022/02/web1_Isiaha-Haithcock-vs-MT-2-11-2022-1.jpgWashington sophomore Isaiah Haithcock (left) launches a shot over Miami Trace sophomore Austin Boedeker Friday, Feb. 11, 2022 at Washington High School. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald photos

Miami Trace junior Holden Hunter (left) is guarded by Washington sophomore Nathan Upthegrove during a Frontier Athletic Conference game at Washington High School Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. Hunter sank a three-pointer for the Panthers late in the game.
https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2022/02/web1_IMG_9689-1.jpgMiami Trace junior Holden Hunter (left) is guarded by Washington sophomore Nathan Upthegrove during a Frontier Athletic Conference game at Washington High School Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. Hunter sank a three-pointer for the Panthers late in the game. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald photos

By Chris Hoppes

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