LEES CREEK — Scoring just 12 points over the final three quarters, East Clinton lost its season opener Friday night to Peebles 48-28 in the newly remodeled EC gym.

The lackluster offensive effort wasted a solid defensive plan for the Astros.

“Our focus has been on defense, defense, defense,” East Clinton head coach Clyde Snow said. “Maybe that’s on me, not focusing enough on offense.”

Snow acknowledged the team had good shooting practices leading up to the game.

Dylan Arnold’s bank shot three-pointer to end the first quarter with East Clinton on top 16-15 was the highlight of the night for the Astros.

Peebles scored the next 10 points to go up 25-16. The Indians were never able to truly put the Astros away but neither did EC threaten to get back in the game.

“You hold a team to 48 points, that’s a very winnable ballgame,” Snow said.

East Clinton made 6 of 12 field goals in the first quarter then just 5 of 32 the rest of the night.

“Some times we rushed in to things,” Snow said. “Instead of getting a great look, we settled for a good look. We played so hard; they gave it everything they had.”

Xander Lake led the Astros with 11 points on 4 of 11 shooting. He also had 10 rebounds.

Peyton Lilly had nine points, seven rebounds and four steals.

In the junior varsity game, Peebles came out on top 56-25. The game was tied 5-5 after one quarter but the Indians scored 24 of 30 points in the second period.

Aiden Warner had nine points for East Clinton while Kaiden Roth and Luke Thompson scored five points each. Brody McCulley had four points.

Payton Johnson led Peebles with 10 points.

SUMMARY

Dec 1, 2023

@East Clinton High School

Peebles 48, East Clinton 28

P^15^12^7^14^^48

EC^16^2^5^5^^28

(48) PEEBLES (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Shivley 2-2-0-6 Reed 1-0-3-5 Oldfield 5-2-1-13 Grooms 4-1-0-9 Browning 2-0-3-7 Johnson 1-0-0-2 Knechtly 2-0-0-4 Sims 0-0-0-0 Boatman 1-0-0-2 TOTALS 18-5-7-48

(28) EAST CLINTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Williams 1-0-0-2 Huff 1-1-0-3 Mad Crowe 0-0-0-0 Lilly 4-1-0-9 Lake 4-0-3-11 Arnold 1-1-0-3 Waner 0-0-0-0 Roth 0-0-0-0 Walker 0-0-0-0 TOTALS 11-3-3-28

FIELD GOALS: P 18-51; EC 11-44 (Lake 4-11)

3 PT FIELD GOALS: P 5-17; EC 3-18

FREE THROWS: P 7-12; EC 3-4

REBOUNDS: P-33 (Reed 6 Grooms 6 Browning 6); EC-33 (Lake 10 Lillly 7 Crowe 4 Huff 3 Williams 3 Arnold 1 Warner 1 Roth 1)

ASSISTS: P-8 (Grooms 3); EC-3 (Willliams, Crowe, Lilly)

STEALS: P-13 (Browning 4; EC-6 (Lilly 4 Huff 2)

BLOCKED SHOTS: P-0, EC-0

TURNOVERS: P-11, EC-21