Tigers earn 2nd straight win; top Mustangs
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — The past two games for the McClain Tigers have turned out the way they've envisioned this season, as they have won both games, including a 44-32 win Saturday afternoon against the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs in the opener of the SCOL vs. SHAC Challenge at Hillsboro.
For both teams in the first half, there wasn't much to write home about, though the Mustangs did the most in the first quarter by leading 8-5 after eight minutes, including an 8-0 lead with 3:33 left in the quarter.
"We both struggled to shoot the ball and get the shots we wanted," MHS head coach Brent Eaton said. "We stayed in our zone, made the shots were wanted and made it a more competitive game."
The second quarter was led by the Tigers (3-3), the visitors on the scoreboard, 9-6, but they trailed at the half, 14-13 to the Mustangs (0-6).
As for the opening frame, Alec Smith and Gage Waits combined for the aforementioned 8-0 run. That would be the final time the Mustangs scored any points until the clock read 6:17 left in the second frame.
In the meantime, between the Mustangs' scoring, Ryan Faulconer and Thomas Schrader combined for six points to make it an 8-6 score with 7:02 left in the second. Faulconer led MHS with 13 points, and Schrader followed with 11 points in the game.
Ryan Inman gave LC a 10-6 advantage, but that was followed with three points from Faulconer and a steal at mid-court and fast break layup from Brent Shannon for an 11-10 Tiger lead with 3:19 left in the opening half. Shannon ended the game with seven points.
From there, Devin Pierson put LC back in the lead twice as he made the score 12-11 and 14-13 with two two-point baskets. Pierson, a freshman, led LC with 13 points, all coming in the final three quarters. His most productive quarter was the fourth with six points.
There was less scoring in the third frame as the Tigers ended the quarter with a 20-19 lead, as MHS led the frame 7-5. Evan Mustard opened the quarter with a 3-pointer for MHS.
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"The key of the game for us was Evan's 3-pointer to start the third," Eaton said. "It's pretty obvious we've changed our philosophy. What worked for years doesn't necessary work for us anymore.
"Like they said in the movie 'Moneyball' I saw the other night … we have to either 'adapt or die.' We are playing less aggressive on defense, and we are playing protecting the paint-oriented."
In the final quarter, it was McClain who scored more points in the eight-minute span than they did in the first three quarters combined as they tallied 24 points, while their defense held LC to 12.
As for the Tigers' fourth, six players scored at least two points with Schrader totaling seven points in the quarter and John Turner totaling all six of his points in the quarter. Also scoring in the quarter were Shannon, Faulconer, Philip Thompson and Evan Mustard.
McClain opened the fourth and took control of the game with an 13-0 run as Shannon sank a jumper, followed by points by Faulconer and a wrap-around bucket by Turner with 4:21 left in the quarter. Also in the quarter, Turner sank four straight free throws, two after being fouled and two after the Mustangs were called for a technical foul.
Schrader followed with two points, and less than 20 seconds later, Faulconer made it a 33-19 lead with 3:22 left in regulation.
Pierson stopped the MHS run of scoring, as the remainder of the game was mostly free throws.
The Tigers will play again on Friday, Dec. 28 against Adena and on Saturday, Dec. 29 when they host the Fairfield Lions.
The Mustangs play again on Friday, Dec. 29 when they host the Whiteoak Wildcats in the 2nd Annual Wilkin Memorial Scholarship Tournament.
For both teams in the first half, there wasn't much to write home about, though the Mustangs did the most in the first quarter by leading 8-5 after eight minutes, including an 8-0 lead with 3:33 left in the quarter.
"We both struggled to shoot the ball and get the shots we wanted," MHS head coach Brent Eaton said. "We stayed in our zone, made the shots were wanted and made it a more competitive game."
The second quarter was led by the Tigers (3-3), the visitors on the scoreboard, 9-6, but they trailed at the half, 14-13 to the Mustangs (0-6).
As for the opening frame, Alec Smith and Gage Waits combined for the aforementioned 8-0 run. That would be the final time the Mustangs scored any points until the clock read 6:17 left in the second frame.
In the meantime, between the Mustangs' scoring, Ryan Faulconer and Thomas Schrader combined for six points to make it an 8-6 score with 7:02 left in the second. Faulconer led MHS with 13 points, and Schrader followed with 11 points in the game.
Ryan Inman gave LC a 10-6 advantage, but that was followed with three points from Faulconer and a steal at mid-court and fast break layup from Brent Shannon for an 11-10 Tiger lead with 3:19 left in the opening half. Shannon ended the game with seven points.
From there, Devin Pierson put LC back in the lead twice as he made the score 12-11 and 14-13 with two two-point baskets. Pierson, a freshman, led LC with 13 points, all coming in the final three quarters. His most productive quarter was the fourth with six points.
There was less scoring in the third frame as the Tigers ended the quarter with a 20-19 lead, as MHS led the frame 7-5. Evan Mustard opened the quarter with a 3-pointer for MHS.
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"The key of the game for us was Evan's 3-pointer to start the third," Eaton said. "It's pretty obvious we've changed our philosophy. What worked for years doesn't necessary work for us anymore.
"Like they said in the movie 'Moneyball' I saw the other night … we have to either 'adapt or die.' We are playing less aggressive on defense, and we are playing protecting the paint-oriented."
In the final quarter, it was McClain who scored more points in the eight-minute span than they did in the first three quarters combined as they tallied 24 points, while their defense held LC to 12.
As for the Tigers' fourth, six players scored at least two points with Schrader totaling seven points in the quarter and John Turner totaling all six of his points in the quarter. Also scoring in the quarter were Shannon, Faulconer, Philip Thompson and Evan Mustard.
McClain opened the fourth and took control of the game with an 13-0 run as Shannon sank a jumper, followed by points by Faulconer and a wrap-around bucket by Turner with 4:21 left in the quarter. Also in the quarter, Turner sank four straight free throws, two after being fouled and two after the Mustangs were called for a technical foul.
Schrader followed with two points, and less than 20 seconds later, Faulconer made it a 33-19 lead with 3:22 left in regulation.
Pierson stopped the MHS run of scoring, as the remainder of the game was mostly free throws.
The Tigers will play again on Friday, Dec. 28 against Adena and on Saturday, Dec. 29 when they host the Fairfield Lions.
The Mustangs play again on Friday, Dec. 29 when they host the Whiteoak Wildcats in the 2nd Annual Wilkin Memorial Scholarship Tournament.