BLANCHESTER — Blanchester used a 19-0 run in the first quarter and an 11-0 run in the second quarter to turn its gym into a house of horrors on Friday the 13th for visiting Felicity-Franklin, which it downed 74-55.
The Cardinals (1-3, 0-2) led early in the SBAAC National Division tilt, 5-4, before the Wildcats (4-0, 3-0) reeled off 19 straight points in the rough-and-tumble first period, during which Blan reached the bonus.
“We’re pretty physical, bigger, faster, stronger. They were just playing a lot more gritty and hands on,” Blan head coach Adam Weber said. “I don’t know what we can do but play physical, and if they foul you, go hit your foul shots.
“I give them credit. They came and took on the mindset of ‘we’ll try to grab the ball however we can.’ There were times they were able to do so, and we took a beating in the process. I’m not going to complain about officiating. They were hungry for the ball.”
Felicity reached double-figures with 3:08 left in the half, but then Blanchester went on that 11-0 spurt for a 43-11 advantage, the largest of the half.
Brayden Sipple scored 10 of his game-high 34 points and Hunter Bare flushed one of his four dunks to put Blanchester up 57-22 midway through the third quarter.
The Wildcats led by as much as 66-28 late in the third quarter before backing off the gas pedal.
“We tell them every time, it doesn’t matter who it is, they’re going to give you their best punch,” Weber said. “We’re just going to have to stand tall and strong and take the stuff that comes with it.
We’ll be alright.”
Tanner Creager also reached double-figures for Blan with 1o points.
Carson Crozier and Logan Moore led Felicity with 10 each.
SUMMARY
Dec 13, 2019
@Blanchester High School
Blanchester 74 Felicity-Franklin 55
F^7^9^19^20^^55
B^23^22^21^8^^74
(55) FELICITY (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Crozier 5-0-10, Stamper 0-2-2, Reeves 3-1-8, Moore 3-3-10, Taulbee 4-0-8, Kidd 2-3-7, Baker 0-0-0, Jones 2-2-6, Arthur 0-0-0, Blackburn 0-0-0, Violette 1-2-4, Total 20-13-55. 3-point goals: 2 (Reeves, Moore). FTM-FTA 13-20, 65 percent.
(74) BLANCHESTER (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Roy 1-2-4, Creager 2-5-10, Sipple 14-4-34, Ashcraft 1-1-3, Bare 8-2-18, Lucas 1-0-2, Czaika 0-1-1, Heitzman 1-0-2. Total 28-15-74. 3-point goals: 3 (Sipple 2, Creager). FTM-FTA 15-23, 65 percent.
