Indians move up to 2nd in Ohio in 1990
By
Bob Patton-
(Continued from last week.)
Also on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1990, Wilmington was massacred by Xenia, 101-55, in Xenia.
Across Highland County, the McClain Tigers brought an end to another 16-0 record when they traveled to Ross Southeastern and downed the Panthers, 54-47. This was an incredibly close game, with the Tigers leading by one point at halftime (26-25).
McClain held only a 50-47 lead with 13 seconds remaining, but Doug Moon and Marcus Coleman hit two free throws each down the stretch to seal the win. Tiger Ashley Rannells racked up 20 points, including three 3-pointers, and grabbed 13 rebounds from his guard position.
The defense of the purple-and-gold was the big difference, as the fourth-ranked Panthers were forced to shoot from positions that they were unaccustomed to. McClain’s record, going into February, was 12-4.
As February 1990 got under way and the league schools started the stretch run to the tournament, Hillsboro entertained Miami Trace on Feb. 2, while McClain traveled to Circleville and Washington played at Wilmington.
Hillsboro demolished Miami Trace behind Donley’s 23 points (including four three-pointers) and Nartker’s 15, which included a huge slam dunk at the end of the first quarter. Ross Matthews led Trace with 13 markers.
McClain took their last ride to Circleville for a while. The purple-and-gold played perhaps their best two quarters of basketball this season to build a comfortable 46-37 lead after three quarters. But Circleville staged a furious comeback in the final stanza, outscoring McClain by an unbelievable 27-10. In the hectic fourth quarter, McClain missed at least three layups and turned the ball over in several crucial situations and attempted numerous questionable shots, not customary for McClain teams.
The Wilmington Hurricane fell behind at 16-4 in the first quarter at WCH and were just never able to get in the game. The Lions had five men in double figures and a sixth totaled nine, as they ran away with the game, 67-40.
Circleville traveled to Hillsboro (probably for the last time) on Friday, Feb. 9.
McClain entertained Washington the same night, and Miami Trace met the Wilmington Hurricane in the Trace gym. Trace would begin tournament play at Athens High School, where they would try to upset Chillicothe.
The Hillsboro Indians had climbed to second in the state in Associated Press division II state rankings.
At Greenfield, Washington came back from a 13-point deficit to take the lead in the third quarter, only to watch, as the Tigers of McClain staged a comeback of their own to snatch a 60-54 win.
At Trace, the Panthers were looking for their first SCOL win in two years. After three and a half quarters of play, they appeared to be in position to get the win. But they suddenly fell apart at the seams, were outscored eight to four in the final three minutes and lost the game to Wilmington, 64-61.
Hillsboro throttled the Circleville Tigers, 79-53 at Circleville.
On Tuesday, Feb. 13, McClain traveled just 10 miles to challenge the Fairfield Lions. The Tigers loved the rims in the Fairfield gym, as they poured in 11 three-pointers. Ashley Rannells hit on 6-of-9 attempts from three-point range. Rannells and Kile Cameron combined for 50 points, and the Tigers posted a 69-51 non-league win.
On the last playing date of the SCOL season, Feb. 16, the second-ranked Hillsboro Indians traveled to Washington C.H., where they turned the ball over 22 times and shot poorly from the free throw line in the final stanza. As a result, they lost the gold basketball and their first game of the past two regular seasons to the Blue Lions, 56-52. The Tribe had won 41 consecutive regular-season games.
Both teams had excellent scoring balance, and Hillsboro out-rebounded the Lions but by only three rebounds. The game was very evenly played, but shortly after the halftime intermission the blue-and-white outscored the Indians 10-2 over a couple of minutes, putting a little distance between the two squads. Hillsboro closed the gap, at one time, to one point but never
really caught up. Six missed Indian free throws in the fourth quarter put the nails in the coffin.
The same night, Wilmington visited Greenfield, where the visitors were whistled for 23 fouls, including 11 in the final quarter, and the Tigers hit 26-of-34 free-throw attempts. The ’Cane had only eight opportunities from the line, hitting on four. Wilmington outscored the Tigers 54-36 from the field and lost the game by four points.
Miami Trace played at Circleville. The Panthers jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but the Tigers employed a full court press and put big Chris Strawser in the game. Circleville controlled the boards after that, and Miami Trace did not handle the press well. The red-and-black took the win in their final South Central League game, 66-50.
The final standings for the 1989-90 season were:
Hillsboro 9-1, 19-1
Washington 7-3, 16-4
McClain 6-4, 15-5
Circleville 5-5, 6-14
Wilmington 3-7, 6-14
Miami Trace 0-10, 2-18.
McClain (15-5) would meet 2-18 Miami Trace in the sectional tournament at Chillicothe on Feb. 21. The 19-1 Hillsboro Indians would take on the winner of the Waverly vs. West Union game Friday, Feb. 23. Last season (1988-89), West Union upset the 20-0 Indians in the first round of the tournament.
Surely, it couldn’t happen again?
This year, West Union was 17-4 coming into the tournament, but they had won 12 of the last 13 games.
On the 21st, McClain mercifully ended the suffering for Miami Trace, downing the Panthers, 53-36. Rannells with 17 and Cameron with 12 led the Tigers. Hoppes and Henry scored 11 each to pace the Panthers, who ended their season 2-19.
(Continued next week.)
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
Also on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1990, Wilmington was massacred by Xenia, 101-55, in Xenia.
Across Highland County, the McClain Tigers brought an end to another 16-0 record when they traveled to Ross Southeastern and downed the Panthers, 54-47. This was an incredibly close game, with the Tigers leading by one point at halftime (26-25).
McClain held only a 50-47 lead with 13 seconds remaining, but Doug Moon and Marcus Coleman hit two free throws each down the stretch to seal the win. Tiger Ashley Rannells racked up 20 points, including three 3-pointers, and grabbed 13 rebounds from his guard position.
The defense of the purple-and-gold was the big difference, as the fourth-ranked Panthers were forced to shoot from positions that they were unaccustomed to. McClain’s record, going into February, was 12-4.
As February 1990 got under way and the league schools started the stretch run to the tournament, Hillsboro entertained Miami Trace on Feb. 2, while McClain traveled to Circleville and Washington played at Wilmington.
Hillsboro demolished Miami Trace behind Donley’s 23 points (including four three-pointers) and Nartker’s 15, which included a huge slam dunk at the end of the first quarter. Ross Matthews led Trace with 13 markers.
McClain took their last ride to Circleville for a while. The purple-and-gold played perhaps their best two quarters of basketball this season to build a comfortable 46-37 lead after three quarters. But Circleville staged a furious comeback in the final stanza, outscoring McClain by an unbelievable 27-10. In the hectic fourth quarter, McClain missed at least three layups and turned the ball over in several crucial situations and attempted numerous questionable shots, not customary for McClain teams.
The Wilmington Hurricane fell behind at 16-4 in the first quarter at WCH and were just never able to get in the game. The Lions had five men in double figures and a sixth totaled nine, as they ran away with the game, 67-40.
Circleville traveled to Hillsboro (probably for the last time) on Friday, Feb. 9.
McClain entertained Washington the same night, and Miami Trace met the Wilmington Hurricane in the Trace gym. Trace would begin tournament play at Athens High School, where they would try to upset Chillicothe.
The Hillsboro Indians had climbed to second in the state in Associated Press division II state rankings.
At Greenfield, Washington came back from a 13-point deficit to take the lead in the third quarter, only to watch, as the Tigers of McClain staged a comeback of their own to snatch a 60-54 win.
At Trace, the Panthers were looking for their first SCOL win in two years. After three and a half quarters of play, they appeared to be in position to get the win. But they suddenly fell apart at the seams, were outscored eight to four in the final three minutes and lost the game to Wilmington, 64-61.
Hillsboro throttled the Circleville Tigers, 79-53 at Circleville.
On Tuesday, Feb. 13, McClain traveled just 10 miles to challenge the Fairfield Lions. The Tigers loved the rims in the Fairfield gym, as they poured in 11 three-pointers. Ashley Rannells hit on 6-of-9 attempts from three-point range. Rannells and Kile Cameron combined for 50 points, and the Tigers posted a 69-51 non-league win.
On the last playing date of the SCOL season, Feb. 16, the second-ranked Hillsboro Indians traveled to Washington C.H., where they turned the ball over 22 times and shot poorly from the free throw line in the final stanza. As a result, they lost the gold basketball and their first game of the past two regular seasons to the Blue Lions, 56-52. The Tribe had won 41 consecutive regular-season games.
Both teams had excellent scoring balance, and Hillsboro out-rebounded the Lions but by only three rebounds. The game was very evenly played, but shortly after the halftime intermission the blue-and-white outscored the Indians 10-2 over a couple of minutes, putting a little distance between the two squads. Hillsboro closed the gap, at one time, to one point but never
really caught up. Six missed Indian free throws in the fourth quarter put the nails in the coffin.
The same night, Wilmington visited Greenfield, where the visitors were whistled for 23 fouls, including 11 in the final quarter, and the Tigers hit 26-of-34 free-throw attempts. The ’Cane had only eight opportunities from the line, hitting on four. Wilmington outscored the Tigers 54-36 from the field and lost the game by four points.
Miami Trace played at Circleville. The Panthers jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but the Tigers employed a full court press and put big Chris Strawser in the game. Circleville controlled the boards after that, and Miami Trace did not handle the press well. The red-and-black took the win in their final South Central League game, 66-50.
The final standings for the 1989-90 season were:
Hillsboro 9-1, 19-1
Washington 7-3, 16-4
McClain 6-4, 15-5
Circleville 5-5, 6-14
Wilmington 3-7, 6-14
Miami Trace 0-10, 2-18.
McClain (15-5) would meet 2-18 Miami Trace in the sectional tournament at Chillicothe on Feb. 21. The 19-1 Hillsboro Indians would take on the winner of the Waverly vs. West Union game Friday, Feb. 23. Last season (1988-89), West Union upset the 20-0 Indians in the first round of the tournament.
Surely, it couldn’t happen again?
This year, West Union was 17-4 coming into the tournament, but they had won 12 of the last 13 games.
On the 21st, McClain mercifully ended the suffering for Miami Trace, downing the Panthers, 53-36. Rannells with 17 and Cameron with 12 led the Tigers. Hoppes and Henry scored 11 each to pace the Panthers, who ended their season 2-19.
(Continued next week.)
Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]