It was a tale of two halves on Friday for Tanner Holbert.
After being held scoreless in the first half, the Logan Elm junior guard exploded in the second half and overtime for a game-high 25 points to help the Braves edge host Amanda-Clearcreek 44-40 in Mid-State League Buckeye Division action.
Using five points apiece by Cade Young and Issac Good, the Aces took a 12-9 lead after a period of play.
Amanda-Clearcreek held Logan Elm to just 1 of 11 shooting – a basket by Drew Tomlinson – in the second quarter as it extended its advantage to 19-11 at intermission.
Holbert started to heat up in the third quarter, hitting a trio of three-pointers and finishing the period with 12 points that allowed the Braves to take a 26-25 lead into the fourth quarter.
The two rivals finished regulation tied at 35-35. Holbert canned a pair of three-pointers and Braylen Baker added the other triple in the bonus period to help the Braves end the regular-season on a winning note.
Baker followed Holbert’s 25 points with nine and Tomlinson had five.
Tayvon Miller paced the Aces with 11 points, Young had seven and Tucker Shamblin added six.
The Braves (14-6, 9-5) open tournament play on Friday when they host Hillsboro for a sectional final. The Aces (8-14, 3-11) travel to Johnstown for a sectional semifinal on Feb. 23.
Circleville 59,
Hamilton Township 41
Circleville pulled away in the fourth quarter on Friday to post a 59-41 MSL-Buckeye win over host Hamilton Township.
The Tigers entered the final stanza with a 36-33 lead and proceeded to outscore the Rangers 23-8.
Five players contributed to the scoring in the period, led by Briley Cramer with nine points, Craig Fleck turning in five points and Ian Warden adding four.
Cramer led all scorers with a game-high 24 points, Fleck had 16 and Warden added six for the Tigers (6-16, 3-11), who travel to Athens on Tuesday to open tournament play.
Other score: Piketon 45, Westfall 16
Girls Basketball
New Hope 55,
Cristo Rey 14
New Hope dropped 30 points on Cristo Rey in the first-half on Friday on its way to a convincing 55-14 win.
Maren McCallister scored 13 of her game-high 19 points in the first half, Jenna Tripp tallied 11 points and Eden Leist added 10 for the Stateswomen.