Bryant Billing | Sidney Daily News
SIDNEY — A bad second quarter was too much for Sidney to overcome in a 77-58 loss to Troy in a Miami Valley League boys basketball game on Tuesday.
The Trojans (15-4, 14-1 MVL Miami Division) finished the first quarter with a 10-4 run to take an 18-12 lead, then dominated the Yellow Jackets with a 20-6 advantage in the second to take a 38-18 halftime lead.
The Yellow Jackets pulled within 44-33 in the third, but Troy scored the next eight points to secure its lead.
It’s the seventh consecutive loss for Sidney, which has continued to struggle since losing starting guard A’zon Steele for the second half of the season due to OHSAA transfer rules.
“We’ve got a trend here where we’re giving up way too many points,” Sidney coach John Willoughby said. “We’re giving up too many 3’s. We’re standing six, seven feet away from the guy who we’re supposed to guarding, and we act surprised when they make a 3.
Sidney (7-12, 6-9 MVL Valley) started in a man-to-man defense, but Troy scored eight points in the first 90 seconds, which forced a change to a zone.
“We were afraid to go zone if they were hitting shots, but you’ve got to change something up. It’s a quandary,” Willoughby said. “… It’s an effort thing. Like I’ve said before, the decisions we’re making aren’t the right ones.”
It was the fifth consecutive win for Troy, which is in contention with Tippecanoe (17-1, 14-0 MVL Miami) for the overall MVL title.
Sidney senior guard Myles Vordemark led the squad with 23 points. Sam Reynolds scored 16 and Julius Spradling scored 10.
Troy had four players reach double figures, including Hollis Terrell, who scored 20. He made three 3-pointers; the Trojans made 11 three’s in the contest.
Jackson Center 53, Lima Central Catholic 44
The Tigers, which haven’t lost since their season opener at Russia, kept rolling in a nonconference game on Tuesday in Lima.
The Thunderbirds led 6-5 at the end of the first quarter, but Jackson Center took control with a 15-6 edge in the second and led 20-12 at halftime. Jackson Center outscored LCC 17-13 in the third to take a 37-25 lead into the fourth.
Bryson Roberts and Nolan Fark each scored 17 points for Jackson Center (17-1). Fark made five 3’s.
Botkins 61, Newton 46
The Trojans won a nonconference game on Tuesday in Botkins.
Botkins led 20-11 at the end of the first quarter, 36-24 at halftime and 46-36 at the end of the third.
Carter Pleiman led Botkins (11-7) with 21 points while JJ Meyer scored 11.
Lehman Catholic 61, Covington 52
The Cavaliers won a Three Rivers Conference game on Tuesday in Covington.
Lehman led 18-8 at the end of the first quarter, but the Buccaneers used a 19-14 advantage in the second to pull within 32-27 at halftime. The Cavaliers pulled away with a 13-7 edge in the third.
Justin Chapman led Lehman (13-6, 7-5 TRC) with 24 points while Da’Ron Pride scored 19.
Miami East 69, Riverside 57
The Pirates lost a TRC game on Tuesday in De Graff.
Miami East led 18-16 at the end of the first quarter, 32-24 at halftime and 51-41 at the end of the third quarter.
Gavin Orsborne led Riverside (6-12, 2-10) with 14 points. Dominik Stotler scored nine points and had four steals. Kaleb Schinedelwolf scored seven points and had five rebounds and three assists.
