CINCINNATI — East Clinton struggled from long distance Wednesday in a 67-58 loss to Deer Park in a Division III Sectional boys basketball game at Princeton High School.
“Deer Park just flat-out made more shots than us,” EC coach Clyde Snow said. “We were 2-13 from 3 (point range) and they were 10-28 from 3. We gave up some key rebounds at some tough times and they converted.”
East Clinton’s season ends at 3-20.
Deer Park advances in the tournament with a 6-17 record. The Wildcats will face Summit Country Day 1 p.m. Saturday at PHS.
Despite the defeat, Snow was pleased with the way his team played.
“We finished the season out right,” he said. “We played good.”
Peyton Lilly scored a career-high 21 points. Lilly was 6-for-6 at the line in the fourth quarter and 7-for-7 for the game. He made his last eight free throws and 16 of his last 17 at the line.
Xander Lake added 18 points, with eight of those coming in the opening period.
“The first half we had five turnovers and we ended the game with 16,” Snow said.
The Astros trailed 34-28 at halftime. The 58 points is the most in a game for East Clinton since scoring 60 in a 71-60 loss to Manchester on Dec. 3, 2022.
“Even with our record with how it’s been, we set ourselves up good for next year,” Snow said. “I believe we have improved a ton from the beginning of the year. We have to carry this in to the off-season. We have to have a good off-season this year or we’re going to have another long (season) next year. We have a ton of potential. Now it’s time to put in the work.”
SUMMARY
Feb 21, 2024
Division III Sectional
Boys Basketball Tournament
@Princeton High School
Deer Park 67, East Clinton 58
DP^19^15^16^17^^67
EC^14^14^14^16^^58
(67) DEER PARK (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Arington 7-4-2-20 Armor 3-1-1-8 Denson 1-0-0-2 Goure 4-2-2-12 Wright 8-1-1-18 Brodbeck 0-0-0-0 Heard 2-2-0-6 Sellers 0-0-1-1 TOTALS 25-10-7-67
(58) EAST CLINTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Warner 0-0-1-1 Huff 3-2-0-8 Crowe 1-0-2-4 Lilly 7-0-7-21 Lake 7-0-4-18 Williams 1-0-0-2 Arnold 0-0-0-0 Roth 1-0-0-2 Gulley 0-0-0-0 Walker 1-0-0-2 TOTALS 21-2-14-58
FIELD GOALS: DP (25-56) Wright 8-14 Arington 7-14 Goure 4-7
3 PT FIELD GOALS: DP (10-28) Arington 4-8
FREE THROWS: DP (7-10)
REBOUNDS: DP-23 (Denson 5 Sellers 4 Goure 4 Armor 4 Arington 4)
ASSISTS: DP-17 (Arington 5 Goure 4)
STEALS: DP-10 (Armor 3 Goure 3)
BLOCKED SHOTS: DP-3
TURNOVERS: DP-11
