EBER – In a match-up of former South Central Ohio League rivals, Clinton-Massie outlasted Miami Trace 55-54 Wednesday night.
In a game the Panthers led most of the way, the Falcons took a one-point lead with 3:15 to play in the fourth quarter. The lead changed hands twice more, with the Falcons pulling out a hard-fought one-point victory.
Miami Trace senior Darby Tyree was the game’s leading scorer with 22 points. He hit four three-point field goals and had a double-double with 11 rebounds. He also had four assists and three blocked shots.
Falcon junior Thomas Myers scored 21 points and doubled up with 10 rebounds. Senior Trey Uetrecht scored 18 points and also turned in a double-double with 10 rebounds.
Miami Trace had 23 rebounds, just one of those coming off the offensive boards. The Falcons had 36 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive side.
Clinton-Massie went 24 of 59 from the field for 40 percent, while Miami Trace connected on 19 of 48 shots for 39 percent.
After an early exchange of the lead, the Panthers rolled out to a 13-4 advantage with 3:43 to play in the first quarter.
“It wasn’t the way we wanted to start out,” Clinton-Massie head coach Todd Cook said. “I think we were within seven points most of the game. I kept on saying, ‘We need to get it down to about three.’
Clinton-Massie outscored the Miami Trace, 11-2, to close out the initial period with game tied, 15-15.
After a quick bucket from the Falcons, the Panthers went on a 12-0 run to go in front, 27-17, with just under three minutes remaining in the half. The Panthers were in front, 29-22 at the halftime break.
Miami Trace led by as many as nine points in the third quarter three times before the frame ended with the Panthers holding a 41-35 lead.
The Panthers led by eight points, 46-38, with 6:29 to play in the game.
From that point forward, the Falcons outscored Miami Trace, 17-8.
“We came into the fourth quarter down by six,” Cook said. “That was about the least deficit we had had. I felt that we were wearing them down. They don’t have a lot of subs. They rely on the two guys (Tyree and Cameron Carter) who are phenomenal basketball players.
“We kept on attacking the basket,” Cook said. “We got some breaks in the fourth quarter and it’s just great to come out with a one-point win.”
Miami Trace head coach Rob Pittser offered his view of the turnaround after the game.
“Our kids, similar to what we’ve been doing the last few games, shot the ball well early,” Miami Trace head coach Rob Pittser said. “We built a lead. Unfortunately, we gave the lead back. I shouldn’t say we gave the lead back. We played pretty well tonight.
“(Clinton-Massie) is pretty athletic. They have size, they have strength, they have kids who play championship calibre in other sports. When you have kids who are that used to winning, I mean, it’s a grind. They just kept coming and coming at us.
“We’ve been on the positive end of some of these close games (recently). We’ve been pretty fortunate. Tonight, it was our turn to be on the wrong side of things. Hopefully we can get refocused and come out and play well Saturday.”
The Falcons (now 3-1 overall) will open league play Friday at Goshen.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
SUMMARY
January 3 2018
@Miami Trace High School
Clinton-Massie 55 Miami Trace 54
MT 15.14.12.13…..54
CM 15.07.13.20…..55
(54) MIAMI TRACE (2fg-3fg-ft-tp) Darby Tyree 4 (4)-2-22; Austin Brown 5-4-14; Cameron Carter 2-4-8; Brett Lewis 1 (1)-1-6; Heath Cockerill 1-0-2; Austin Mathews 1-0-2; Dakota Bolton 0-0-0; Matt Fender 0-0-0. TOTALS — 14 (5)-11-54. Free throw shooting: 11 of 14 for 78 percent. Three-point field goals: Tyree, 4; Lewis. Combined field goal shooting: 19 of 48 for 39 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 5 of 21 for 23 percent. Rebounds: 23 (1 offensive). Assists: 10. Steals: 11. Blocks: 5. Turnovers: 12. Personal fouls: 13. Bench points: 2. Second chance points: 2. Points off turnovers: 4.
(55) CLINTON-MASSIE (2fg-3fg-ft-tp) Thomas Myers 9-3-21; Trey Uetrecht 8-2-18; Zach Chowning 1 (1)-0-5; Daulton Wolfe 1 (1)-0-5; Griffin Laake 2-0-4; Tate Olberding 1-0-2; Drew Settlemyre 0-0-0; Tanner Olberding 0-0-0; Jacob Campbell 0-0-0. TOTALS — 22 (2)-5-55. Free throw shooting: 5 of 9 for 55 percent. Three-point field goals: Chowning, Wolfe. Combined field goal shooting: 24 of 59 for 40 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 2 of 18 for 11 percent. Rebounds: 36 (12 offensive). Assists: 12. Steals: 9. Blocks: 2. Turnovers: 14. Personal fouls: 16. Bench points: 7. Second chance points: 12. Points off turnovers: 6.
