ADAMS TOWNSHIP – Clinton-Massie manned up to win a slugfest between Southern Buckeye Conference heavyweights Friday. National Division champion Georgetown’s game-tying three-point attempt missed at he buzzer and American Division champion Clinton-Massie emerged with a 53-50 victory.
“It was great to see us compete. The past couple games, I felt our energy, effort and enthusiasm had been down,” CM head coach Todd Cook said. “We had something on the line tonight. We didn’t lose at home this year and this is something we wanted to defend. With them winning their side of the league, we wanted to make sure we gave a good showing in front of our home crowd. The kids stepped up and did a great job.”
The G-Men (17-5) had the Falcons (18-4) on the ropes early and looked poised to deliver a first-round knockout with the first 10 points of the game.
“That was a dumb decision by me to come out in a 2-3 zone. I thought that zone was going to be the best thing to guard their big boy inside,” CM head coach Todd Cook said referring to 6-8 Noah Pack who entered the evening in the top four in the conference overall in six categories. “We didn’t do a good job. They shot us out of it.
“It ended up being the best decision I made all night long, to get out of the zone and force the tempo, and play man-to-man full-court style.”
Zach Chowning’s three threes in last five minutes of first half helped get CM back in the game. Griffin Laake took a steal the distance at the buzzer to knot the score at 19-19.
“Zach has been on fire around the perimeter,” Cook said. “He’s been locked in around the three-point line. He’s been carrying us around the perimeter.”
The second half had seven lead changes and another tie. The tie at 46 came after five straight Georgetown points. The G-Men hit a three to lead 49-48 with 1:56 left in the contest.
Drew Settlemyre came up big down the stretch. He gave Massie the lead for good when he was fouled on an unsuccssful offensive putback and calmly sank a pair of free throws with 1:27 left. Settlemyre altered a Georgetown shot on the other end, which fell into the Falcons’ hands and turned into a pair of Brendan Lamb free throws and a 52-50 advantage.
Settlemyre’s free throw after a Chowning steal put Massie up 53-50 and set the stage for Georgetown’s game-winning shot attempt.
“Drew was asked to do a huge task tonight by defending a 6-8 kid,” Cook said, referring again to Pack who lead all scorers with 25 points. “Drew did a great job. He brought great energy. He just continues to do great things for us.”
Chowning led Massie with 21 points while Settlemyre chipped in with 11. Laake added 13.
“Griffin Laake is stepping up also as a leader, getting to the basket getting rebounds, and being an all-around good player,” Cook said.
Clinton-Massie won the JV game, too, 67-46. Tate Olberding led the Falcons with 20 points. Nate Baker and Brody Muterspaw added 10 each. Fred Linville led the G-Men with 12 points while Blaise Burrows and Lowell Shiveley had 10 each.
SUMMARY
February 15, 2019
@Lebanon Road gym
Clinton-Massie 53 Georgetown 50
G 12.07.16.15…..50
C 06.13.17.17…..53
(50) GEORGETOWN (fg-ft-tp) Brookbank 2-2-8, Gregory 1-4-7, Pack 9-6-25, Cahall 0-0-0, Fleming 0-0-0, Galley 0-1-1, Burrows 2-0-6, Bolington 1-1-3. Total 15-14-50. 3-point goals: 6 (Brookbank 2, Burrows 2, Pack, Gregory). FTM-FTA 14-22, 64 percent.
(53) CLINTON-MASSIE (fg-ft-tp) Wolfe 0-0-0, Lamb 3-2-8, Chowning 8-0-21, Laake 6-1-13, Settlemyre 3-5-11, Faucett 0-0-0, Baker 0-0-0, Voss 0-0-0. Total 20-8-53. 3-point goals: 5 (Chowning 5). FTM-FTA 8-14, 57 percent.
