Tigers end season in sectional semifinals
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CHILLICOTHE — Offense just wasn't in the cards for the McClain Tigers on Tuesday evening, and that fact sent them to the end of their season in the Division II SE District Sectional Semifinals, falling to the Minford Falcons, 54-32 at Southeastern High School.
For the Tigers, who end the season at 9-12 overall, they were held to single-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters, including a first frame where they trailed 18-7 after eight minutes.
"Defensively, (Minford) gave us a lot of problems," MHS head coach Joe Wisecup said. "The game played out like I thought it would. We guarded them fairly well … we gave them some problems defensively, but finishing inside offensively was a big issue for us.
"I thought we played very tentative and scared at times, which I'm not really sure why in the 21st game of the year. It was the same issues we had all year offensively … we just struggled to knock down shots."
The score was tied just once in the 32 minutes of tournament basketball, at the 6:26 mark of the first quarter where Minford made it a 2-2 score on a layup by Kenton Gullion, as it was the Tigers who were first to add points in the game when Ryan Faulconer scored points in the paint 44 seconds into the game.
Faulconer led the Tigers with nine points, while adding five rebounds.
From the 6:26 mark when the score was tied, the Tigers never led again, and they eventually trailed 10-0 as Minford (17-3) built a 8-1 run that included two three-point plays where Cody Stapleton made three consecutive free throws after being fouled from beyond the three-point line and Jared McCray compiling a three-point play with 4:02 left in the first for the seven-point lead at 10-3.
McCray led all scorers with 12 points.
"(Minford) is very athletic and are a very good basketball team," Wisecup said.
Following a layup by McClain's Thomas Schrader (who finished with eight points), the Falcons scored five straight points, including another three-point play, this one from Jared Alley (who totaled 10 points) with 1:35 left in the same first frame for a 15-5 lead over the Tigers, who were the away team on the scoreboard.
Stapleton ended the first-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer for the No. 2 seeded Falcons for the 18-7 advantage.
The No. 7 seeded Tigers were outscored 12-8 in the second frame for a halftime deficit of 30-15, then were held to just six points in the third for a 47-21 score following the completion of the 24th minute of play.
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In the fourth, the Tigers outscored the Falcons, 11-7 with points from Faulconer, Bryce Duff, Randall Mischal, Mikel Pritchard and Travis Hall.
Mischal sank a 3-pointer for the Tigers with 2:34 left in the fourth.
MHS finished 9-for-16 from the free-throw line, while the Falcons were 11-for-15. The Tigers did take five charges, with Faulconer taking two. Also taking a charge was Wyatt Jones, Schrader and Pritchard.
Scoring two points each for the Tigers were Duff, Lincoln O'Connor, Pritchard, Hall, Jeremiah Savage and Mustard.
The Tigers totaled 21 rebounds (11 offensive), while the Falcons had 18 total boards. Duff led MHS with three steals. McClain totaled 16 turnovers compared to 21 by Minford.
For their South Central Ohio League season, MHS finished the year at 5-7.
Wisecup spoke about his four seniors who played their final game in Thomas Schrader, Mikel Pritchard, Evan Mustard and Jeremiah Savage.
"We had four great seniors, and they are great kids," he said. "I'm proud of all the work they put into the program, and they will be missed."
The Falcons will play in their sectional final game on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. against Unioto at SEHS. Minford's three losses this season came to Lucasville Valley (twice) and Huntington, W.Va. Prep.
For the Tigers, who end the season at 9-12 overall, they were held to single-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters, including a first frame where they trailed 18-7 after eight minutes.
"Defensively, (Minford) gave us a lot of problems," MHS head coach Joe Wisecup said. "The game played out like I thought it would. We guarded them fairly well … we gave them some problems defensively, but finishing inside offensively was a big issue for us.
"I thought we played very tentative and scared at times, which I'm not really sure why in the 21st game of the year. It was the same issues we had all year offensively … we just struggled to knock down shots."
The score was tied just once in the 32 minutes of tournament basketball, at the 6:26 mark of the first quarter where Minford made it a 2-2 score on a layup by Kenton Gullion, as it was the Tigers who were first to add points in the game when Ryan Faulconer scored points in the paint 44 seconds into the game.
Faulconer led the Tigers with nine points, while adding five rebounds.
From the 6:26 mark when the score was tied, the Tigers never led again, and they eventually trailed 10-0 as Minford (17-3) built a 8-1 run that included two three-point plays where Cody Stapleton made three consecutive free throws after being fouled from beyond the three-point line and Jared McCray compiling a three-point play with 4:02 left in the first for the seven-point lead at 10-3.
McCray led all scorers with 12 points.
"(Minford) is very athletic and are a very good basketball team," Wisecup said.
Following a layup by McClain's Thomas Schrader (who finished with eight points), the Falcons scored five straight points, including another three-point play, this one from Jared Alley (who totaled 10 points) with 1:35 left in the same first frame for a 15-5 lead over the Tigers, who were the away team on the scoreboard.
Stapleton ended the first-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer for the No. 2 seeded Falcons for the 18-7 advantage.
The No. 7 seeded Tigers were outscored 12-8 in the second frame for a halftime deficit of 30-15, then were held to just six points in the third for a 47-21 score following the completion of the 24th minute of play.
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In the fourth, the Tigers outscored the Falcons, 11-7 with points from Faulconer, Bryce Duff, Randall Mischal, Mikel Pritchard and Travis Hall.
Mischal sank a 3-pointer for the Tigers with 2:34 left in the fourth.
MHS finished 9-for-16 from the free-throw line, while the Falcons were 11-for-15. The Tigers did take five charges, with Faulconer taking two. Also taking a charge was Wyatt Jones, Schrader and Pritchard.
Scoring two points each for the Tigers were Duff, Lincoln O'Connor, Pritchard, Hall, Jeremiah Savage and Mustard.
The Tigers totaled 21 rebounds (11 offensive), while the Falcons had 18 total boards. Duff led MHS with three steals. McClain totaled 16 turnovers compared to 21 by Minford.
For their South Central Ohio League season, MHS finished the year at 5-7.
Wisecup spoke about his four seniors who played their final game in Thomas Schrader, Mikel Pritchard, Evan Mustard and Jeremiah Savage.
"We had four great seniors, and they are great kids," he said. "I'm proud of all the work they put into the program, and they will be missed."
The Falcons will play in their sectional final game on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. against Unioto at SEHS. Minford's three losses this season came to Lucasville Valley (twice) and Huntington, W.Va. Prep.