Tigers fall to Chillicothe in FAC opener

GREENFIELD — The McClain boys varsity basketball team saw their overall record slip to 2-2 after losing to Frontier Athletic Conference foe Chillicothe 52-36 Friday night.

Despite the double-digit loss to the much taller and very athletic Cavaliers, the score didn’t show how well and how hard the younger Tigers played.

“We didn’t match up very well with Chillicothe. It was 100-percent heart, effort and hustle from my kids,” McClain head coach Jarrod Haines said. “What do you say to them after this game? We didn’t score as many points as them, but defensively we made them earn everything they got.

“That was our game plan, to slow it down, play great defense and I thought we did a great job of that. We’re growing up and getting better now four games in, and to play a team as good as Chillicothe that tough, I’m super proud of my kids.”

The Cavaliers starting lineup averaged over six feet, and their center Noah Netter was 6-7. Chillicothe also started four returning juniors while McClain’s starting lineup included three sophomores with only one, Hudson Lovett, returning with varsity experience.

McClain came out aggressively in the first period and matched the Cavaliers’ style of play, trailing by four points by a 10-6 score. Cayden Cox scored six points in the opening frame to lead Chillicothe, and McClain’s Conner Chandler drained a long first-period 3-pointer for the Tigers.

The second quarter was much like the first with both teams playing impressive and very physical defense, as the Tigers were able to still keep the score close trailing just 16-12 at halftime. Lovett was McClain’s leading scorer at the break with seven points which included a long three-point shot.

“I thought we handled their pressure better tonight than we have in the past,” Haines said. “I told my kids I was pleased with their effort because we’re playing a lot of sophomores who have never seen pressure like that, so they’re learning on the fly.”

Chillicothe was able to force the Tigers into a few turnovers with their constant pressure on defense to begin the second half which resulted in easy layups, but even with that said, McClain was able to keep the score reasonably close, trailing 35-25 at the end of the third period.

The big reason the Tigers were able to stay close was the play of senior point guard Jordan Bell, who had seven points in the quarter, including one long ball. Bell ended the night scoring a team-high 17 points for the Tigers.

“Jordan Bell, what a leader,” Haines said. “He’s the smallest guy on the floor but has the biggest heart for sure, he never backs down.”

In the final quarter, fatigue looked to show a little on the young and pesky Tigers, and Chillicothe was able to pull away late and win comfortably 52-36, and at the end of the night they knew they had been battle-tested for sure.

“Mathew Cummins, who is just a sophomore, had to cover Cayden Cox who is their leading scorer, and for the most part I thought he did a nice job on him,” Haines said. “Chillicothe knew what they had to do, and that was to get the ball into their best players hands and he made some plays. I thought Elijah Storer also did a nice job defensively on their big 6-7 kid.

“I know it was a loss, and I don’t really believe in moral victories, but our kids are getting better every game and playing the kind of basketball that we want them to play. Now we’ve just got to fix a few things and hope for the best.”

The Cavaliers had three players reach double figures in the game, led by Cox who had a game-high 20 points, followed closely by Andrew Hamman, who scored 19 and Cooper Stoneking, who added 11.

Bell scored 17 to pace the Tigers, followed by Lovett, who just missed reaching double digits with nine points. Rounding out the scoring for McClain were Storer (3), Chandler (3), Cummins (2), and Lucas Banks (2).

McClain attempted only three free-throws in the contest and made all three, while Chillicothe attempted eight foul shots and converted seven.

McClain (0-1, 2-2) was scheduled to play at Zane Trace, Saturday, Dec. 13 but that game was postponed until Tuesday, Dec. 23.

The Tigers next game will be at Washington C.H., on Tuesday, Dec. 16 against the Washington Blue Lions, then they return home Friday, Dec. 19 to entertain FAC opponent, the Jackson Ironmen.