OWENSVILLE — In one moment of frustration, the complexion of the SBAAC National Division race may have changed Friday night at Clermont Northeastern High School.
Rocket standout Skyler Schmidt received back-to-back technical fouls with 2:49 left in the third quarter and was ejected from CNE’s 86-38 win over East Clinton.
Following a CNE steal, Schmidt raced ahead for a breakaway dunk and was fouled from behind. Schmidt exchanged words with the East Clinton player who committed the foul. The referee gave Schmidt two technicals in succession, resulting in ejection.
According to the OHSAA basketball manual, “Any player ejected is suspended from any and all contests the remainder of the day and from all contests until two contests at the level of the ejection are completed.”
This means Schmidt will miss CNE’s next two games, including the big showdown at Blanchester (14-1 overall, 8-1 SBC National) Tuesday night. The Rockets defeated the Wildcats 73-55 Dec. 17 at CNE.
“I’m kind of in shock right now, still,” CNE head coach Jim Jones said. “I thought it was a little quick. I thought he had T’d up the other kid. It is what it is.”
It was the only drama in the contest that the Rockets (14-2 overall, 9-0 SBC-National) led from start to finish. CNE forced 31 East Clinton turnovers and outrebounded the Astros 54-29.
Jarryd Burns led four Rockets in double figures in scoring with 16 points. Bryce Reece added 15. Logan Pottorf had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Schmidt finished with one as well with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
EC freshman Dakota Collom was the standout offensively for the Astros, scoring 17 points. Cullum made six straight free throws shooting for the two technicals on Schmidt and one on the CNE bench.
“Teams are so much stronger than us,” EC head coach Tony Berlin said. “We didn’t lay down. Dakota Collom played well offensively. He’s a freshman. The kid can shoot and he’s going to be a very good player.”
SUMMARY
Friday, Jan. 24, 2020
At Clermont Northeastern High School
Clermont Northeastern 86, East Clinton 38
EC^4^9^19^6^^38
CNE^18^21^30^17^^87
(38) EAST CLINTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Branson Smith 3-0-3-9, Dakota Cullum 5-1-6-17, Quinten Tolle 1-0-0-2, Gunner Neanover 1-0-0-2, Colton Vadnais 4-0-0-8. TOTALS 14-1-9-38.
(86) CLERMONT NORTHEASTERN (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Jerryd Burns 6-4-0-16, Logan Pottorf 6-1-0-13, Jared Decatur 2-2-2-8, Austin Yeager 3-0-0-6, Skyler Schmidt 3-0-4-10, Bryce Reece 6-1-2-15, Mason Martin 3-0-1-7, Blake King 2-0-0-4, Trevor House 0-0-3-3, Angus King 2-0-0-4. TOTALS 33-8-12-86.
FIELD GOALS: EC 14/46 (Cullum 5/12, Vadnais 4/8); C 33/67 (Burns 6/9, Pottorf 6/8, Reece 6/12)
3 POINT FIELD GOALS: EC 1/5; C 8/16 (Burns 4/6)
FREE THROWS: EC 9/15 (Cullum 6/6); C 12/29 (Schmidt 4/5)
REBOUNDS: EC 29 (Tolle 7, Vadnais 6, Cullum 5); C 54 (Schmidt 10, Pottorf 10, King 8, Martin 7)
ASSISTS: EC 7 (Smith 4); C 19 (Reece 5, Martin 3)
STEALS: EC 8 (Smith 3); C 16 (Fishback 3)
BLOCKED SHOTS: EC 0; C 7 (Schmidt 2, King 2)
TURNOVERS: EC 31; C 19
