Tigers gain first win of season; outlast Mustangs

     CHILLICOHE – After suffering a tough loss in overtime in their season opener, the McClain Tigers roared back with a vengeance Saturday afternoon as they soundly defeated the Westfall Mustangs 52-38 in the Zane Trace Tipoff Classic at ZTHS.

     The Tigers (1-1) held the Mustangs to two points in the opening quarter to take a 9-2 lead into the second quarter.

     Again the stout Tiger defense held the Mustangs under double figures in a quarter, as their offense pounded out 20 points in the same eight minute frame for a 29-10 lead at halftime.

     Westfall doubled the MHS scoring output in the third at 14-17, but again, the Tigers won the fourth at 16-14 to give McClain head coach Brent Eaton his first win of his varsity coaching career.

     McClain senior Kameron Mace led all scorers with a game-high 12 points. Mace also grabbed nine rebounds and had four of McClain’s 10 total assists.

     Senior Logan Wise also scored in double figures for the Tigers with 10 points, while leading MHS with five steals. The Tigers ended the game with 14 steals.

     Both Mace and Wise each sank a 3-point basket.

     McClain senior Caleb Gregory, who sank two 3-pointers, netted 10 points. On the defensive side Gregory had a total of four rebounds. Fellow senior Lucas Polley scored six points, including one 3-pointer and had four rebounds.

     L.T. Walters had seven points in the Tigers’ first win of the year. The senior grabbed five boards.

     Also scoring for the Tigers were juniors Scott Balzer, Jared Loftis, Zach Matracia and senior Zack Mullikin.

     MHS finished with 32 rebounds as Westfall had 25. McClain forced the Mustangs into 30 turnovers while committing 23. Polley, Gregory and Matracia all took charges in the game.

     The Tigers shot 16 of 50 from the field for 32 percent. Westfall was 13 of 32 for 41 percent from the field. Westfall totaled eight steals and six assists.

     MHS was 11 of 33 in two-point shot attempts.

     Smith led Westfall with 13 points, making six shots from the field.

     McClain will play again Friday, Dec. 11 as they host the Clinton-Massie Falcons in their first South Central Ohio League game of the season.

BOX SCORE

SCORE BY QUARTERS

MHS – 9 20 7 16 – 52

WHS – 2 8 14 14 – 38

INDIVIDUAL STATS

MHS (52)

K.Mace 3 (1) 3 12, L.Wise 2 (1) 3 10, S.Balzer 0 1 1, L.Polley 1 (1) 1 6, C.Gregory 1 (2) 2  10, L.Walters 3 1 7, J.Loftis 0 1 1, Z.Matracia 0 1 1, Z.Mullikin 1 0 2. TOTALS: 11 (5) 13-23 52.

WHS (38)

Ranke 1 1 3, Coup 0 2 2, Robertson 1 0 2, Smith 6 1 13, Savito 2 1 5, Hammond 2 0 4, Musselman 0 3 3, Ellis 1 4 6. TOTALS: 13 12-20 38.