ADAMS TOWNSHIP — Chillicothe had to fend off four Clinton-Massie comebacks to put away the host Falcons 76-73 Friday.
The Cavaliers (10-6, 8-2) led 20-9 after a 12-2 run in the first quarter, 35-26 in the second quarter after scoring seven straight, 45-33 in the third quarter after starting the half with a 10-0 spurt, and 57-45 early in the final quarter after a 9-0 run.
Each time, the Falcons (5-11, 4-6) clawed back to within one possession of tying or taking the lead.
“No matter how much we’re down, we continue to fight until final buzzer,” CM head coach Todd Cook said. “But it’s just that we get ourselves in situations where we get down. We have to take care of the basketball a little bit better.
“We made it another close game, but these are the games we have to pull out on top.”
Massie climbed out of its 20-9 hole to pull within 28-26 of Chillicothe midway through second period. The teams then traded 7-0 runs, with Chillicothe going first, to make the score 35-33 at the intermission.
CM rallied from 45-33 down to cut Chillicothe’s lead to 48-45 at the 1:32 mark of the third quarter.
The Cavaliers then reeled off nine straight to lead 57-45 early in the final period.
“Their runs were due to us turning the ball over or not boxing out,” Cook said. “It seemed like, every time they’d get an offensive rebound, they’d kick it out and get a three. There’d just be two or three possessions in a row that’d get us in a big hole.”
Nick Chowning’s three closed the gap to 68-64 with 1:51 left in the contest. That would be as close as Massie would get until a Noah Greathouse three just before the buzzer set the final score.
Both teams sizzled the nets with Massie and Chillicothe hitting 56 and 55 percent from the field, respectively, and placed four players in double-figures.
Chillicothe’s Seth Barnes led all scores with 20 points. Teammates Branden Maughmer and Hunter Coffland chipped in with 13 each. Simon Roderick added 11.
Chowning led Massie with 20. Trey Uetrecht and Greathouse had 14 each while Griffin Cook hit for 10.
SUMMARY
January 27, 2017
@Lebanon Road gym
Chillicothe 76 Clinton-Massie 73
CH 22.13.17.24…..76
CM 16.17.12.28…..73
(76) CHILLICOTHE (fg-ft-tp) Maughmer 5-2-13, Barnes 8-3-20, W. Roderick 3-1-7, Johnson 2-1-6, Coffland 6-1-13, Danzy 1-0-2, S. Roderick 4-2-11, Benson 1-2-4. Total 30-12-76. 3-point goals: 4 (Maughmer, Barnes, S. Roderick, Johnson). FTM-FTA 12-20, 60 percent.
(73) CLINTON-MASSIE (fg-ft-tp) Chowning 6-6-20, Cook 2-4-10, Greathouse 5-2-14, Myers 3-3-9, Uetrecht 3-8-14, Demler 1-1-3, Leforge 1-0-3. Total 21-24-73. 3-point goals: 7 (Chowning 2, Cook 2, Greathouse 2, Leforge). FTM-FTA 24-28, 86 percent.
