by JOHN HOWLEY / sportingpumpkin.com
Tigers sink Vikings, Gales blow away Panthers
KINNIKINNICK — Trailing by 15 late in the third quarter, Circleville battled back to vanquish Vinton County 50-48 Friday night at the Zane Trace Tip Off Classic.Â
The Tigers were down 40-25 with less than two minutes left in the third. A three-pointer with 1:15 on the clock from Craig Fleck got the rally started, Winston Jones followed with another and Trevor Coleman put one in from halfcourt as time expired to close the gap to 40-34 entering the final quarter.
The Tigers scored seven of the next nine points and then Parker Kidwell hit both ends of a one-and-one to give Circleville its first lead 43-42 with 3:14 on the clock.
Vinton County twice tied the game, the second being at 45-45 with 1:05 left.
With the game on the line, Circleville converted at the free throw line. Coleman and Briley Cramer each sank two, putting their team up 49-45.
VC wasn’t done as Braylon Damron came through with a three-pointer with 11 seconds showing.
The Vikings had a chance to cage the Tigers when Circleville failed to execute its inbound play giving the ball back to VC.
As VC’s Zayne Karr went up to try and give his team the lead, Circleville’s Ian Warden went up with him and blocked the shot. Kidwell got the rebound, was fouled and hit the first of his two free throws with six seconds remaining.
Damron got the rebound off Kidwell’s miss and fed Eli Radabaugh who took the shot from the corner. This time it was Matt Bradley getting up for the block to preserve the comeback for the Tigers.
The Tigers had four players reach double figures with Fleck scoring 13, Cramer 12 and Coleman and Jones each scoring 10.
Damron led VC with 16, Radabaugh had 12 and Karr added 11.
Vinton County finished the night with a 34-28 rebounding edge led by Damron and Ashton Allman with nine each.
Kidwell led Circleville with seven rebounds and Fleck had five.
Circleville had only eight turnovers in the game – just three in the second half – while Vinton County committed 16.
Circleville 50, Vinton County 48
Vinton County — Zayne Karr 4-3-11, Eli Radabaugh 5-1-12, Braylon Damron 6-0-16, Asa Davidson 3-1-7, Ashton Allman 1-0-2. Three-point goals — Radabaugh, Damron (4). Total — 19-45 5-11 48.
Circleville — Matt Bradley 1-0-2, Briley Cramer 4-4-12, Trevor Coleman 3-2-10, Winston Jones 4-0-10, Parker Kidwell 0-3-3, Craig Fleck 5-2-13. Three-point goals — Coleman (2), Jones (2), Fleck. Total — 17-46 11-14 50
Quarter scores 1 2 3 4 F
Vinton County 16 12 12 8 48
Circleville 6 10 18 16 50
Lancaster 58, Miami Trace 43
KINNIKINNICK — Sam Finck led three Golden Gales in double figures as Lancaster beat Miami Trace 58-43 in the nightcap Friday at the Tip Off Classic.
Finck had 17 points to go with nine rebounds while Colson Pugh had 15 points and Dylan West put in 13 as the Lancaster moved to 2-0 on the young season.
Miami Trace was led by 6-8 junior Andrew Guthrie with 22 points.Â
