By Brad Morris
SportingPumpkin.com
Needing one point to reach 1,000 for his high school career on Tuesday, New Hope senior Clayton Rhyne turned to a move and shot that he has literally practiced hundreds of times in the driveway.
“I caught the ball along the left baseline with my back to the basket and then I did a spin move to get around the defender and finished a reverse layup on the opposite side of the basket with my right hand,” Rhyne said. “That’s the move and shot I practice the most in my driveway at home.”
Rhyne provided a highlight in the opening quarter for the Statesmen and the play of Xander Rink in the closing quarter helped lead host New Hope to a 54-49 win over Pickaway County rival Westfall.
“It was cool to score 1,000 career points, because it’s been a goal of mine for a long time, but to top it off by going out and beating a county opponent is really great,” Rhyne said. “We had different guys step up and it took our whole team to get this done.”
Rhyne and Xander Rink shared game-high scoring honors with 18 points apiece. Rhyne dished out five assists and had four rebounds and Rink pulled down nine rebounds and chipped in three assists.
Rhyne, who came to New Hope for his senior season from Amanda-Clearcreek, has led the Statesmen offensively with 27.9 points per game and has appreciated being embraced by his teammates.
“My teammates knew I would be coming in here and getting quite a few shots, but they didn’t care about that because all they want to do is have fun playing basketball together as a team and win games,” Rhyne said. “They’ve embraced me, and I can’t say enough good things about my teammates and the program. I’m very thankful.”
New Hope coach Shane Roese, a Bowsher Award winner and 1,000-point scorer during his playing days at Teays Valley, reflected on Rhyne’s accomplishment and what it takes to reach a milestone like 1,000 career points.
“People get focused on AAU basketball and other opportunities that kids have today, but shooters like Clayton are made in the driveway from between March until August,” Roese said. “It takes that repetition of literally putting up thousands of shots, working on moves, being strong with the basketball and putting the package together like Clayton has.
“He’s been a fantastic addition to our basketball team. He’s a great teammate, and I’m so happy for him to have all that work he puts into the game rewarded.”
Rhyne discussed how his game has developed over the course of his high school career.
“When I first started playing in high school, I was basically a stand and shoot basketball player that would only shoot threes,” he said. “I started developing my game of taking the ball to the basket over the last couple of years and now I can score from different areas of the court.”
Rink opened the fourth quarter by canning a short jumper and, following a pair of free throws from Rhyne, added a layup and runner to tie the game at 44-44 with 4:22 remaining.
“I tried to get Xander out before this season to play, but this is just his first year of organized basketball and you see the potential that he has, only in his sophomore season,” Roese said. “Xander has a relentless drive and motor that makes him go on both ends of the court.
“He made some big shots there in the fourth and he also was a big key on the boards and tipping a few balls to keep them alive for a teammate to get.”
Brody Clark put the Mustangs back ahead by knocking down a triple from the right wing approximately a minute later.
Rink made it a one-point game with a putback. Following a pair of missed free throws, the Statesmen came away with the offensive rebound and Lane Bruning turned in an old-fashioned three-point play to put the Statesmen ahead to stay at 49-47 with 1:52 remaining.
Hunter Cavanaugh drilled a three-pointer from the right wing on the Statesmen’s next possession to stretch the lead to five.
After Blaec Bugher made it a one-possession game with a pair of free throws for the Mustangs, Rhyne capped the night by draining two free throws of his own.
Casey Cline had 16 points, 12 of those coming in the second quarter when he started the period 4 of 4 from the field, to lead the Mustangs. Clark and Henry Barnes followed with eight points apiece.
“Hunter Cavanaugh hit that big three there in the fourth quarter that helped to put us over the top, but what was probably bigger was the way he stepped up and face-guarded Casey,” Roese said. “Casey’s a pretty solid player and he got going there in the second quarter, but Hunter did a great job to hold him to just two points in the second half. That was huge.”
The Mustangs and Statesmen split their season-series, with Westfall winning the first meeting 61-58 last month at the Horizon Holiday Classic and the Statesmen returning the favor on Tuesday inside the Ohio Christian Maxwell Center.
“We’ve had some nice wins this season, but when you come out and beat a county team, it just means a little more,” Roese said. “All of these kids know each other, they respect each other and playing Westfall is always a difficult game for us, because (coach Christian Meister) and his staff do a great job and their kids have bought into his way of doing things.
“We’ve played 64 minutes of basketball in less than a month against each other and these two teams are pretty equal in a lot of ways.”
A key difference in the game came at the free throw line, where the Statesmen made 11 of 15 (73.3 percent) shots compared to the Mustangs going just 7 of 15 (46.7 percent). Westfall had 10 turnovers to six for New Hope
The Statesmen outrebounded the Mustangs 9-3 in the fourth quarter, including grabbing four offensive boards.
Westfall (8-7) resumes Scioto Valley Conference play on Friday when it hosts Adena. New Hope (9-3) entertains Green, an OHSAA Division IV school from Franklin Furnace on Saturday in the Maxwell Center.
New Hope 54, Westfall 49
WESTFALL — Brody Clark 2-2-8, Casey Cline 6-0-16, Brydan Gall 1-2-5, Henry Barnes 4-0-8, Seth Gifford 1-0-2. Three-point goals — Cline (4), Clark (2) and Gall. Total — 17-38 7-15 49.
NEW HOPE — Hunter Cavanaugh 1-4-7, Adam Rink 1-0-2, Clayton Rhyne 6-6-18, Xander Rink 9-0-18, Lane Bruning 3-1-9. Three-point goals — Bruning (2) and Cavanaugh.. Total — 20-42 11-15 54.
Quarter scores 1 2 3 4 F
Westfall 14 14 10 11 49
New Hope 9 16 11 18 54
(740) 477-1661
Shayna Harmon (Teays Valley, 2013-16), 1,893
Ridge Young (Logan Elm, 2014-17), 1,798
David Myers (Williamsport, 1957-60), 1,796
Alyssa Evans (Amanda-Clearcreek, 2015-19), 1,776
Mindy Fusetti (Teays Valley,1995-99), 1,728
Michelle Estell (Amanda-Clearcreek, 1995-99), 1,640
Tom Rathburn (Ashville, 1958-62), 1,632
Bob Hoover (Ashville, 1956-60), 1,625
Tyler Evans (Logan Elm, 2001-05), 1,589
Kenzie McConnell (Circleville, 2017-2021), 1,570
Harold Gerhardt (Atlanta, 1951-1955), 1,558
Maren McCallister (New Hope Christian Acad., 2019-present), 1,454
Alicia Miller (Amanda-Clearcreek, 1995-99), 1,452
Dale Lambert (Teays Valley 1967-70), 1,444
Casse Mogan (Circleville, 2004-08), 1,427
Isaac Ward (Logan Elm, 2017-2021) 1,379
Tyler Schleich (Westfall, 1997-2000), 1,360
Dillon Young (Logan Elm, 2011-14), 1,332
Tim Congrove (Logan Elm, 2005-08), 1,287
Abby Hatter (Logan Elm, 2016-2020), 1,287
Aaron Kanitz (Circleville, 1993-97), 1,265
Nate Anderson (Teays Valley, 2007-2011), 1,251
Noah Highfield (New Hope Christian Acad., 2014-18), 1,234
Jason McFarland (Logan Elm, 1992-95), 1,209
P.J. Stiles (Teays Valley, 1978-80), 1,207
Sara Hildenbrand (Circleville, 1996-2000), 1,200
Isaac Roese (New Hope Christian Acad., 2014-18), 1,188
Thom Patete (Westfall, 1993-97), 1,173
Staci Ballou (Circleville, 1988-92), 1,167
Misti Halley (Logan Elm, 1992-95), 1,161
Dave Smith (Pickaway, 1953-57), 1,157
Gail Adams (Logan Elm, 1988-92), 1,145
Evan Blake (Logan Elm, 2002-06), 1,140
Jerry Mowry (Westfall, 1977-81), 1,135
Chris Rollins (Amanda-Clearcreek 2000-03), 1,127
Tony Picklesimer (Westfall, 1992-95), 1,126
Emily Robinson (Logan Elm, 2007-11), 1,124
Stephanie Garrett (Circleville, 1988-92), 1,121
Sheri Reed (Logan Elm, 1984-88), 1,121
Brandon Amann (Logan Elm, 2005-09), 1,119
Teresa Stonerock (Westfall, 1978-81), 1,117
Tara Wright (Westfall, 1997-2000), 1,113
Paula Everts (Teays Valley, 1988) 1,111
Jimi Anderson (Amanda-Clearcreek, 1999-2002), 1,110
Andy Hulse (Logan Elm, 1988-92), 1,099
Holly Hastings (Teays Valley, 1985) 1,099
Luke McConnell (Circleville, 1981-84), 1,092
Jordin Blakeman (Circleville, 2013-2017), 1,091
Will Riffle (Amanda-Clearcreek, 2015-19), 1,097
Maddie Snider (Amanda-Clearcreek, 2013-17), 1,077
Kelsie Robinson (Westfall, 2013-16), 1,073
Tom Sykes (Logan Elm, 1970-73), 1,072
Bridget Oberer (Teays Valley, 1993-96), 1,061
Gene Stonerock (Circleville & Williamsport, 1952-56), 1,053
Alyssia Morris (AC, 1999-2002), 1,050
Ashley Hoskins (Circleville, 1989-92), 1,045
Ryan Wolfe (Teays Valley, 2015-2019), 1,040
Regan Stonerock (Westfall, 2013-16), 1,039
Tim Stonerock (Circleville, 1964-67), 1,029
Clayton Rhyne (New Hope Christian Acad. and Amanda-Clearcreek, 2019-present) 1,017
Dave Truex (Circleville, 1971-74), 1,016
Marcy Dudgeon (Westfall, 2016-2020), 1,016
Craig Stewart (Circleville, 2000-03), 1,013
Shane Roese (Teays Valley, 1984-88), 1,011
Tyler Primmer (Teays Valley, 2010-14), 1,006