HILLSBORO — Blanchester’s Wildcats lost to Beechwood (Kentucky) on Saturday afternoon, 91-58. during the fifth annual Ohio Valley Hoops Classic, held at Hillsboro High School.
Through the first three periods, the Widlcats kept the margin relatively close, and trailed by 15 points, 60-45, heading into the final period.
The Tigers errupted for 31 points in the final period while Blanchester could only manage 13.
Beechwood, coming off a Class A Kentucky State Championship, was led by Scott Draud, who finished with 35 points.
He was just two points shy of equalling the OVHC single game record, established by current University of Cincinnati forward Jarron Cumberland, who scored 37 against Cleveland Heights in the 2015 Classic, while playing for the Wilmington Hurricane.
Later in the afternoon, that individual benchmark would fall by the wayside.
During the very next game, that record was shattered when Von Cameron Davis of Walnut Ridge scorched the nets for 46 points against Campbell County.
For Blanchester, three Wildcat players reached double figures, as Brayden Sipple led the offensive attack with 16, Tanner Creager followed with 15, and Hunter Bare added 10.
Sipple was held scoreless in the first quarter, when Beechwood jumped out to a 22-13 lead. Tanner carried the offensive load for the ‘Cats in the first half with 11, but Beechwood took a 41-22 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
Draud, selected as the game’s Most Outstanding Player, scored 17 points in the first half.
Although the Wildcats kept it a two-point difference in the third quarter (16-14), the Tigers stretched the lead to 15 going into the final period before they unleashed their 31-point attack.
Beechwood eclipsed the record for the most points in a game, shattering the previous mark of 87 set by the Princeton Vikings in last year’s classic.
The Tigers were deadly beyond the three point arc, connecting for 11 treys while attempting 33 in the game.
Blanchester turned it over 20 times,including 11 in the second half. The Tigers capitalized numerous times on those Wildcat miscues, converting those missed chances into 29 points.
Blanchester’s next game will be Tuesday night, on the road versus Reading, at Sports Plus Arena.
SCORING SUMMARY
Beechwood 22-22-16-31—-91
Blanchester 13-18-14-13—58
(58) BLANCHESTER (2fg-3fg-ft-tp) Heeg 2-0-0-4, Creager 3-2-3-15, Sipple 5-0-4-14, Waiale 2-1-1-8, Bare 5-0-0-10, Ashcraft 2-0-1-5. Team Totals: 19-3-11-58.
(91) BEECHWOOD (2fg-3fg-ft-tp) Deatherage 5-0-1-11,Draud 9-4-5-35, Brannen 4-0-1-9, Hughes 1-0-0-2, Decker 1-0-0-2, Rylee 1-0-1-3, Downton 1-2-0-8, Busland 2-2-0-10, Bieger 1-3-0-11. Team Totals: 25-11-8-91.
