4th frame burns Tigers in loss to Green Devils
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CHILLICOTHE — Unable to hold a first half lead, the McClain Tigers had their troubles in the final half when the North Adams Green Devils doubled the offensive output by MHS, leading to the Tigers' first loss of the season by a 52-39 score in the non-league contest.
It's not that the Tigers didn't show effort, because they did ... it was just the Green Devils' accuracy and second chance opportunities and converting those second opportunities into points.
The Devil defense also overpowered the visitors on the scoreboard in the second half as the Devils outscored MHS 30-15 in the final 16 minutes.
"We lost our composure in the second half," McClain head coach Brent Eaton said. "We have to take better shots and not just take shots because we were open. Coach (Nathan) Copas had his kids prepared.
"I know we can shoot better than what we did here, but when we aren't shooting well, we must play better defensively. Our kids aren't selfish, but it was like 'we're open,' and we took the first shot."
Entering the third frame, the Tigers built a 24-22 lead, but by the time the third was complete, MHS trailed 39-31 as NA used their rebounding skills on the offensive side and accuracy when taking shots to outscore MHS, 17-7.
Even at the start of the third, MHS (1-1) increased their lead to 27-22 with a 3-pointer by junior Thomas Schrader (10 total points), but from there North Adams took over with eight straight points, including a blocked shot from Levi Bales, who totaled 13 points. The NA run began with Devin Gardner scoring on a layup, followed with a jumper by Will Leasure and then another layup by Bales to put the Green Devils (1-0) ahead 28-27 with 5:18 left in the third.
From there, Kris King (13 total points) extended the lead of NA by driving to the lane with an uncontested layup with 4:33 left in the quarter.
The Tigers answered with points from Jeremiah Savage, but from there, the Devils ended the third by outscoring MHS 9-2 in a span of 3:06. In that run, there was a three-point play from Andrew Mitchell for NA.
Evan Mustard cut into the lead of NA to start the fourth, but in the first two minutes of the fourth, the Devils led 43-35 following a jumper from Mitchell.
In the final five minutes of regulation, the Devils had a run of 9-2, including a dunk by Bales with 1:11 on the fourth-quarter clock to seal the win. In that five-minute span, NA's defense forced a block and multiple steals that led to points.
"Our defense did a nice job," NA head coach Nathan Copas said. "To hold McClain to 15 points in the second half was big. We did a nice job getting to their shooters, and we didn't make it easy on them.
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"We rebounded well and took care of the ball."
NA had just 10 turnovers in their season opener.
The Player of the Game for NA was Bales and for MHS was Schrader.
For MHS, the first half was different as the score was tied at 16 at the completion of the first, and they had the aforementioned two-point lead to end the first half.
At one point in the opening quarter, NA led 10-7, as part of the seven points of MHS came off a 3-pointer from Brent Shannon (six points total). After a put-back bucket by Bales, the Tigers answered by scoring eight of the next 10 points with 3-pointers by Schrader and Shannon and a spin move with a layup by Ryan Faulconer putting MHS ahead 15-12. Faulconer also totaled 10 points for MHS.
David Shipley answered for the Devils with a 3-pointer to tie the score at 15 with 59 seconds on the clock. Faulconer and Seth Sparks made free throws for the 16-16 score.
MHS outscored the Devils 8-6 in the second with Faulconer, Schrader, John Turner (who also had a 3-pointer in the first quarter) and Mustard scoring for MHS and Sheridan Carroll and Bales scoring for NA. Carroll totaled eight points.
Also in double figures for NA was Andrew Mitchell with 10.
"Not really being able to scout McClain, I was pleased with our execution in the second half," Copas said. "We attacked the rim."
From the free-throw line, NA shot 6-of-12 for 50 percent. MHS was 5-of-12 from the line for 42 percent.
MHS plays again on Friday, Dec. 7 when they travel to face the Miami Trace Panthers in their South Central Ohio League opener. NA will host Whiteoak on Tuesday, Dec. 4 in their home opener.
It's not that the Tigers didn't show effort, because they did ... it was just the Green Devils' accuracy and second chance opportunities and converting those second opportunities into points.
The Devil defense also overpowered the visitors on the scoreboard in the second half as the Devils outscored MHS 30-15 in the final 16 minutes.
"We lost our composure in the second half," McClain head coach Brent Eaton said. "We have to take better shots and not just take shots because we were open. Coach (Nathan) Copas had his kids prepared.
"I know we can shoot better than what we did here, but when we aren't shooting well, we must play better defensively. Our kids aren't selfish, but it was like 'we're open,' and we took the first shot."
Entering the third frame, the Tigers built a 24-22 lead, but by the time the third was complete, MHS trailed 39-31 as NA used their rebounding skills on the offensive side and accuracy when taking shots to outscore MHS, 17-7.
Even at the start of the third, MHS (1-1) increased their lead to 27-22 with a 3-pointer by junior Thomas Schrader (10 total points), but from there North Adams took over with eight straight points, including a blocked shot from Levi Bales, who totaled 13 points. The NA run began with Devin Gardner scoring on a layup, followed with a jumper by Will Leasure and then another layup by Bales to put the Green Devils (1-0) ahead 28-27 with 5:18 left in the third.
From there, Kris King (13 total points) extended the lead of NA by driving to the lane with an uncontested layup with 4:33 left in the quarter.
The Tigers answered with points from Jeremiah Savage, but from there, the Devils ended the third by outscoring MHS 9-2 in a span of 3:06. In that run, there was a three-point play from Andrew Mitchell for NA.
Evan Mustard cut into the lead of NA to start the fourth, but in the first two minutes of the fourth, the Devils led 43-35 following a jumper from Mitchell.
In the final five minutes of regulation, the Devils had a run of 9-2, including a dunk by Bales with 1:11 on the fourth-quarter clock to seal the win. In that five-minute span, NA's defense forced a block and multiple steals that led to points.
"Our defense did a nice job," NA head coach Nathan Copas said. "To hold McClain to 15 points in the second half was big. We did a nice job getting to their shooters, and we didn't make it easy on them.
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"We rebounded well and took care of the ball."
NA had just 10 turnovers in their season opener.
The Player of the Game for NA was Bales and for MHS was Schrader.
For MHS, the first half was different as the score was tied at 16 at the completion of the first, and they had the aforementioned two-point lead to end the first half.
At one point in the opening quarter, NA led 10-7, as part of the seven points of MHS came off a 3-pointer from Brent Shannon (six points total). After a put-back bucket by Bales, the Tigers answered by scoring eight of the next 10 points with 3-pointers by Schrader and Shannon and a spin move with a layup by Ryan Faulconer putting MHS ahead 15-12. Faulconer also totaled 10 points for MHS.
David Shipley answered for the Devils with a 3-pointer to tie the score at 15 with 59 seconds on the clock. Faulconer and Seth Sparks made free throws for the 16-16 score.
MHS outscored the Devils 8-6 in the second with Faulconer, Schrader, John Turner (who also had a 3-pointer in the first quarter) and Mustard scoring for MHS and Sheridan Carroll and Bales scoring for NA. Carroll totaled eight points.
Also in double figures for NA was Andrew Mitchell with 10.
"Not really being able to scout McClain, I was pleased with our execution in the second half," Copas said. "We attacked the rim."
From the free-throw line, NA shot 6-of-12 for 50 percent. MHS was 5-of-12 from the line for 42 percent.
MHS plays again on Friday, Dec. 7 when they travel to face the Miami Trace Panthers in their South Central Ohio League opener. NA will host Whiteoak on Tuesday, Dec. 4 in their home opener.