The frigid January temperatures outside of Hamilton Township’s gymnasium on Friday didn’t bother Konnor Starkey.
The Logan Elm senior guard was as hot as a firecracker, knocking down 9 of 12 shots (75 percent) and scoring a career-high 24 points to help the Braves return home to Pickaway County with a 62-34 Mid-State League Buckeye Division win over the Rangers.
Logan Elm entered the second quarter with a 14-11 lead and turned in 12 of the first 14 points of the period. The Braves went on to outscore Hamilton Township 20-8 to take a 34-19 lead into halftime.
Starkey drained five of his six three-pointers on the night and finished the quarter with 17 points on 6 of 7 (85.7 percent) shooting.
Tanner Holbert scored eight points and Garret Summers added four in the third quarter to help the Braves extend their lead to 54-26.
Holbert led all scorers with 26 points on 8 of 16 (50 percent) shooting. After Starkey’s 24 markers, Summers and Braylen Baker tossed in four apiece.
The Braves (10-4, 6-3) continue league play on Tuesday at Circleville.
Fairfield Union 34,
Circleville 32
A tip-in by Briley Cramer off an offensive rebound was waved off on Friday by the officials, and Fairfield Union avoided being upset by visiting Circleville in MSL-Buckeye competition.
The Tigers trailed 6-3 after a quarter of play and 18-15 at halftime but rallied to take a 27-26 lead into the final stanza.
Cramer and Craig Fleck had 13 points apiece for the Tigers and Ian Warden added five.
Circleville (4-12, 2-7) hosts Logan Elm on Tuesday for a league game.
Westfall 60,
Zane Trace 58
Despite allowing a three-pointer by Nalin Robinson to force overtime, Westfall showed its poise in overtime and emerged with a hard-fought 60-58 Scioto Valley Conference win over visiting Zane Trace.
Casey Cline led the Mustangs with 28 points, Trevor Wolfe followed with 19 and Ashton Nunemaker chipped in five.
Losses by Zane Trace and Unioto on Friday night forced a three-way tie for first in the loss column between those two schools and Paint Valley, with Westfall and Piketon both just a game back with three conference losses apiece.
The Mustangs (8-5, 6-3) continue conference play tonight at Southeastern.
Girls Basketball
New Hope Christian 41,
Calvary Christian 32
New Hope locked down host Calvary Christian to just eight second-half points on Friday on its way to a 41-32 win.
Calvary Christian was limited to a trio of free throws in the third quarter and a pair of field goals in the final stanza.
The Stateswomen entered the second half trailing 24-23 but went ahead 32-26 entering the final period.
Maren McCallister scored 11 of her game-high 26 points in the second half to lead the Stateswomen, and Jenna Tripp and Eden Leist chipped in six apiece.
Amanda-Clearcreek 65,
Fairfield Christian 23
Amanda-Clearcreek used a 23-point outburst in the first quarter on Friday to set the tone for a 65-23 non-league win over host Fairfield Christian.
Six players took part in the early scoring for the Aces, led by Hailey Sowers turning in 10 points and Megan Tocill adding five.
Emily Buckley was one of 10 players to reach the scoring column for the Aces with 17 points, Sowers and Addy Pugh had 10 apiece and Rachel Weaver added eight.
The Aces (10-5) resume league play this afternoon at Circleville.