BLANCHESTER — A 15-point first quarter run gave Wilmington a 17-2 lead and the Hurricane never looked back in a 73-41 win over Blanchester Friday night in the SBAAC Bud Phillips Scholarship crossover game at the BHS gym.

Luke Blessing had 21 points to lead the Wilmington offense. Collin Barker had 18 points. Cole Bernhardt had 12 points and 13 rebounds. Mikey Brown had five assists and four steals.

Brison Lucas led Blanchester (3-15) with 15 points. Gabe McVey and Justin Hogsett both hauled in eight rebounds for Blanchester.

The Hurricane (9-9) had seven players score in the opening quarter as they stormed out to a 23-9 lead. Brown sparked the WHS defensive effort with two steals. Wilmington also had six offensive rebounds in the opening period.

But the Wildcats hung tough in the second quarter with Hogsett and Zach West paving the way. Blanchester cut the difference to 10 at one point.

The Hurricane, however, were just too much on this night. Wilmington was 15 for 27 from the field in the second half. Barker, a slow start on offense, had 14 points in the second half.

Blanchester was just 3 for 17 from the floor in the third, thwarting any comeback bid given the hot-shooting Hurricane.

SUMMARY

February 11, 2022

@Blanchester High School

Wilmington 73, Blanchester 41

W^23^12^13^23^^73

B^9^16^8^8^^41

(73) WILMINGTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Blessing 9-3-0-21 Brown 1-0-0-2 Baltazar 3-1-0-7 Bernhardt 6-0-0-12 Barker 7-2-2-18 Warix 1-1-1-4 Killen 0-0-0-0 Griffith 2-0-0-4 Lazic 1-0-0-2 Platt 1-1-0-3 Morales 0-0-0-0 Cochran 0-0-0-0 TOTALS 31-8-3-73

(41) BLANCHESTER (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Sipple 3-2-4-12 Lucas 5-0-5-15 Akers 0-0-0-0 Hogsett 1-0-0-2 McVey 1-1-0-3 Dick 0-0-0-0 Haun 0-0-0-0 Creager 0-0-0-0 West 2-0-0-4 Wyss 2-0-0-4 Taylor 0-0-0-0 Wood 0-0-0-0 TOTALS 14-3-10-41

FIELD GOALS: W (31-60) Blessing 9-18 Barker 7-14 Baltazar 3-5; B (14-45)

3 PT FIELD GOALS: W (8-21); B (3-14)

FREE THROWS: W (3-5); B (10-15)

REBOUNDS: W-36 (Bernhardt 13 Barker 5 Griffith 4 Blessing 4 Brown 3 Baltazar 2); B-32 (Hogsett 8 McVey 8 West 6 Akers 4 Sipple 2)

ASSISTS: W-16 (Brown 5 Blessing 4 Killen 2 Baltazar 2); B-2

STEALS: W-10 (Brown 4 Blessing 2); B-3 (McVey 2)

BLOCKED SHOTS: W-0, B-1 (Sipple)

TURNOVERS: W-8, B-17

Wilmington’s Kellen Baltazar and Blanchester’s Seth Akers | April Garrett Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_AkersBaltazar0211ag.jpgWilmington’s Kellen Baltazar and Blanchester’s Seth Akers | April Garrett Photo

Blanchester’s Dylan Creager and Wilmington’s Kellen Baltazar | April Garrett Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_blCreagerBaltazar0211ag.jpgBlanchester’s Dylan Creager and Wilmington’s Kellen Baltazar | April Garrett Photo

Blanchester’s Brison Lucas | April Garrett Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_blLucas0211ag.jpgBlanchester’s Brison Lucas | April Garrett Photo

Blanchester’s Brison Lucas and Wilmington’s Mikey Brown | April Garrett Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_BrownLucas0211ag.jpgBlanchester’s Brison Lucas and Wilmington’s Mikey Brown | April Garrett Photo

Wilmington’s Cole Bernhardt and Blanchester’s Justin Hogsett | Elizabeth Clark Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_ColeHogsett0211ec.jpgWilmington’s Cole Bernhardt and Blanchester’s Justin Hogsett | Elizabeth Clark Photo

Wilmington’s Mikey Brown and Cole Bernhardt and Blanchester’s Justin Hogsett | April Garrett Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_HogsettCole0211ag.jpgWilmington’s Mikey Brown and Cole Bernhardt and Blanchester’s Justin Hogsett | April Garrett Photo

Blanchester’s Brison Lucas and Wilmington’s Mikey Brown | April Garrett Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_LucasBrown0211ag.jpgBlanchester’s Brison Lucas and Wilmington’s Mikey Brown | April Garrett Photo

Blanchester’s Brison Lucas and Wilmington’s Mikey Brown | Elizabeth Clark Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_LucasBrown0211ec.jpgBlanchester’s Brison Lucas and Wilmington’s Mikey Brown | Elizabeth Clark Photo

Wilmington’s Cole Bernhardt and Blanchester’s Gabe McVey | Elizabeth Clark Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_McVeyCole0211ec.jpgWilmington’s Cole Bernhardt and Blanchester’s Gabe McVey | Elizabeth Clark Photo

Blanchester’s Bryce Sipple and Wilmington’s Kellen Baltazar | Elizabeth Clark Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_SIppleBaltazar0211ec.jpgBlanchester’s Bryce Sipple and Wilmington’s Kellen Baltazar | Elizabeth Clark Photo

Blanchester’s Bryce Sipple and Wilmington’s Mikey Brown | April Garrett Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_SippleBrown0211ag.jpgBlanchester’s Bryce Sipple and Wilmington’s Mikey Brown | April Garrett Photo

Blanchester’s Bryce Sipple and WIlmington’s Luke Blessing | April Garrett Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_SippleLuke0211ag.jpgBlanchester’s Bryce Sipple and WIlmington’s Luke Blessing | April Garrett Photo

Wilmington’s Luke Blessing | Elizabeth Clark Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_wilBlessing0211ec.jpgWilmington’s Luke Blessing | Elizabeth Clark Photo

Wilmington’s Cole Bernhardt surrounded by Blanchester’s Gabe McVey, Justin Hogsett and Bryce Sipple | Elizabeth Clark Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_wilColeBlTrio0211ec.jpgWilmington’s Cole Bernhardt surrounded by Blanchester’s Gabe McVey, Justin Hogsett and Bryce Sipple | Elizabeth Clark Photo

Wilmington’s Avery Warix | Elizabeth Clark Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_wilWarix0211ec.jpgWilmington’s Avery Warix | Elizabeth Clark Photo

Wilmington players and cheerleaders huddle prior to the game against Blanchester | Mark Huber Photo

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/02/web1_BBK_whshuddle.jpgWilmington players and cheerleaders huddle prior to the game against Blanchester | Mark Huber Photo