Call it a comeback: Tigers rally against Lions for 2nd straight win
Lead Summary

By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD — Pressure on both sides of the court by the McClain Tigers completely flipped a Highland County rivalry matchup around Tuesday night at McClain High School. The Tigers put together a 21-0 scoring run in a span of under eight minutes near the end of the third and start of the fourth quarters to defeat the Fairfield Lions, 60-47.
McClain, who now have back-to-back wins, trailed by 11 points with 1:50 left in the third frame. Twenty-one points and 7:25 game minutes later, it was the Tigers who were leading the game for good. In the fourth quarter, the Tigers scored 30 points, the same amount tallied in the first three quarters combined.
"The difference in the game … we play four defenses. Two primary, and two that aren't really our go-to defenses," MHS head coach Brent Eaton said. "We just felt because we were struggling so much in the quarter-court, we thought pressing them (FHS) would cause them to turn it over, and that was a period of time when Chris Cox wasn't in the game, and we took advantage of those opportunities."
Fairfield finished with 22 turnovers, along with not having the services of usual starter Cameron Rolark.
"I thought we did turn them over, we turned it into baskets, we didn't hit the wall. We converted their turnovers, and that was huge," Eaton said.
Fairfield head coach Matt Carson spoke about the change in McClain defenses.
"It's no secret, pressure has hurt us all year. I told the kids at halftime he (Eaton) would bring the pressure in some way, and he did," Carson said. "We didn't handle it well, got into foul trouble. It seemed it was just one thing after another."
The upbeat run by MHS began from the foul line with Scott Balzer and Zach Matracia making a combined 3-of-4 in a span of two game seconds, when Balzer missed the back end of a 1-and-1, and Matracia was fouled in the paint on the rebound. Matracia made both free throws.
Matracia, a senior, came back to the free-throw line nine seconds later after he made a put back basket under the hoop, off a Fairfield turnover. He completed the three-point play, bringing the Tigers within five points of tying the game.
The third frame ended with Balzer connecting twice on free throws, followed with Thomas Schrader sinking a long-range jumper at the buzzer.
McClain (2-7) continued to score once the fourth quarter started with points by Matracia, Balzer, Aaron Pryor and Zach Uhl, who finished with 10 points, eight in the fourth quarter.
At the 7:45 mark of the quarter, Balzer, who scored eight of his total 10 points off free throws, grabbed a rebound off a missed free throw, scoring on put-back points, putting MHS up 33-31.
The Lions answered with a turnover, and the Lions capitalized with a layup from Uhl. Later in the fourth, still during the 21-0 run, Pryor scored four consecutive points with MHS leading by 10 points at 41-31, leaving 5:35 on the clock.
Fairfield stopped the run with free throws by Quentin Williams to make the score 41-33, bringing the Lions within eight points. That was the start of seven straight points by the Lions, including a three-point play from Cody Ferrell and two more free throws by Williams, cutting the MHS lead to three points. Ferrell finished with 13 points, five in the fourth quarter.
Both teams continued to score points at will in the fourth, but the Tigers outscored FHS 11-4 in the final 2:28 of the game. With 1:29 left in the game, Jared Loftis made a no-look pass over his head to Matracia, in transition, for two points and a 55-43 lead. Matracia finished with a game-high 18 points, scoring 12 in the second half.
"I think Zach (Matracia), Zach Uhl and Jared Loftis had some good minutes," Eaton said. "Another kid, he was an unsung hero, was Thomas Schrader. He comes in the game, we are up three; when he comes out, we are up 12. All the kids played great the final quarter and a half, I just wish we were more sound in the other two-and-a-half quarters. We are happy with them; we have a goal set, and we are going to go after those goals."
The Tigers were 20-of-25 from the free-throw line.
A problem for the Lions in the fourth quarter was that senior standout Chris Cox fouled out with 7:10 remaining in the game. Cox finished with 17 points, including three 3-pointers.
"We had players out, Chris fouling out hurt us, and the McClain man-to-man defense we played in the first half wasn't the same man-to-man defense we played in the second half," Carson said. "They looked like their old selves again. Hats off to Coach Eaton."
On the other hand, the first half was nowhere near the scoring totals from both teams, with the Lions leading the first half, 21-12.
The Lions led 13-8 after the first quarter with Ferrell, Ian Adams, Williams and Cox contributing to the scoring.
The second quarter was won by FHS, 8-4.
"I told the kids after the game, we do everything we need to do to win. Then we go on a dry spell offensively … I guess I am at a loss because I know the kids are frustrated. I know I said this after the (Washington) Court House game, but I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated because even when we do mess up, it's because the kids are trying to do the right things, and that's what's frustrating as a coach," Carson said.
The win lifts MHS to 2-7 overall. They are 0-5 in the South Central Ohio League. The Lions drop to 0-6 overall and stand at 0-2 in the Southern Hills League.[[In-content Ad]]
McClain, who now have back-to-back wins, trailed by 11 points with 1:50 left in the third frame. Twenty-one points and 7:25 game minutes later, it was the Tigers who were leading the game for good. In the fourth quarter, the Tigers scored 30 points, the same amount tallied in the first three quarters combined.
"The difference in the game … we play four defenses. Two primary, and two that aren't really our go-to defenses," MHS head coach Brent Eaton said. "We just felt because we were struggling so much in the quarter-court, we thought pressing them (FHS) would cause them to turn it over, and that was a period of time when Chris Cox wasn't in the game, and we took advantage of those opportunities."
Fairfield finished with 22 turnovers, along with not having the services of usual starter Cameron Rolark.
"I thought we did turn them over, we turned it into baskets, we didn't hit the wall. We converted their turnovers, and that was huge," Eaton said.
Fairfield head coach Matt Carson spoke about the change in McClain defenses.
"It's no secret, pressure has hurt us all year. I told the kids at halftime he (Eaton) would bring the pressure in some way, and he did," Carson said. "We didn't handle it well, got into foul trouble. It seemed it was just one thing after another."
The upbeat run by MHS began from the foul line with Scott Balzer and Zach Matracia making a combined 3-of-4 in a span of two game seconds, when Balzer missed the back end of a 1-and-1, and Matracia was fouled in the paint on the rebound. Matracia made both free throws.
Matracia, a senior, came back to the free-throw line nine seconds later after he made a put back basket under the hoop, off a Fairfield turnover. He completed the three-point play, bringing the Tigers within five points of tying the game.
The third frame ended with Balzer connecting twice on free throws, followed with Thomas Schrader sinking a long-range jumper at the buzzer.
McClain (2-7) continued to score once the fourth quarter started with points by Matracia, Balzer, Aaron Pryor and Zach Uhl, who finished with 10 points, eight in the fourth quarter.
At the 7:45 mark of the quarter, Balzer, who scored eight of his total 10 points off free throws, grabbed a rebound off a missed free throw, scoring on put-back points, putting MHS up 33-31.
The Lions answered with a turnover, and the Lions capitalized with a layup from Uhl. Later in the fourth, still during the 21-0 run, Pryor scored four consecutive points with MHS leading by 10 points at 41-31, leaving 5:35 on the clock.
Fairfield stopped the run with free throws by Quentin Williams to make the score 41-33, bringing the Lions within eight points. That was the start of seven straight points by the Lions, including a three-point play from Cody Ferrell and two more free throws by Williams, cutting the MHS lead to three points. Ferrell finished with 13 points, five in the fourth quarter.
Both teams continued to score points at will in the fourth, but the Tigers outscored FHS 11-4 in the final 2:28 of the game. With 1:29 left in the game, Jared Loftis made a no-look pass over his head to Matracia, in transition, for two points and a 55-43 lead. Matracia finished with a game-high 18 points, scoring 12 in the second half.
"I think Zach (Matracia), Zach Uhl and Jared Loftis had some good minutes," Eaton said. "Another kid, he was an unsung hero, was Thomas Schrader. He comes in the game, we are up three; when he comes out, we are up 12. All the kids played great the final quarter and a half, I just wish we were more sound in the other two-and-a-half quarters. We are happy with them; we have a goal set, and we are going to go after those goals."
The Tigers were 20-of-25 from the free-throw line.
A problem for the Lions in the fourth quarter was that senior standout Chris Cox fouled out with 7:10 remaining in the game. Cox finished with 17 points, including three 3-pointers.
"We had players out, Chris fouling out hurt us, and the McClain man-to-man defense we played in the first half wasn't the same man-to-man defense we played in the second half," Carson said. "They looked like their old selves again. Hats off to Coach Eaton."
On the other hand, the first half was nowhere near the scoring totals from both teams, with the Lions leading the first half, 21-12.
The Lions led 13-8 after the first quarter with Ferrell, Ian Adams, Williams and Cox contributing to the scoring.
The second quarter was won by FHS, 8-4.
"I told the kids after the game, we do everything we need to do to win. Then we go on a dry spell offensively … I guess I am at a loss because I know the kids are frustrated. I know I said this after the (Washington) Court House game, but I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated because even when we do mess up, it's because the kids are trying to do the right things, and that's what's frustrating as a coach," Carson said.
The win lifts MHS to 2-7 overall. They are 0-5 in the South Central Ohio League. The Lions drop to 0-6 overall and stand at 0-2 in the Southern Hills League.[[In-content Ad]]