Staff report
COLUMBUS — The Sidney Yellow Jackets went from giving up in the mid-80s last week in a loss to Piqua to allowing just 38 Tuesday afternoon, and it got them back on track in high school boys basketball action.
The Jackets were competing in the Columbus DeSales Holiday Classic against Logan, a team from Hocking County in the Southeast District. Sidney’s shooting woes kept the game close, but the Jackets had enough to come away with a 45-38 victory for a spot in tonight’s championship game against either DeSales or Lakota East.
The win put the Jackets at 7-2 on the season and dropped Logan to 2-5.
“Any time you play a team that has a potential hall of fame coach (Gary Kellough), you know they’re going to be well-prepared,” said Sidney coach Andy Slaughter. “He has a ton of wins and has been to the final four. They get after it and try to push it, but we did a good job of getting out on their shooters and communicating on screens. I was very happy with our defense, especially after the Piqua game. Defense is something we want to hang our hat on and after last week, we knew we had to get better.”
Sidney led 10-6 after a quarter but Slaughter said it could have been a big lead.
“We missed six layups in the first three-and-a-half minutes,” he said. “We had a chance to get away from them early and couldn’t finish around the basket. But at the end of the day, it’s a win, and I told the kids I’ll take an ugly ‘W’ over a pretty ‘L’ any day of the week. We got to 7-2, but we know we’re going to have to play a lot better (today) if we want a chance to win.”
The team came home Tuesday night and will return to Columbus today. Slaughter also returned to Sidney, but not until after the 8 p.m. game between DeSales and East.
Lorenzo Taborn, Sidney’s 6-foot-4 post player, finished with a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Jackets. Freshman Andre Gordon finished with 12.
Cameron Gallimore was held scoreless in the first half, but scored seven in the second. “Cameron hit some big shots for us in the second half,” the coach said.
Sidney (45) — Bowser 5, Gallimore 7, Taborn 13, An. Gordon 12, Rogers 8.
Logan (38) — Bell 1, Evans 2, Bakon 7, Landis 2, Smith 2, Little 10, Myers 6, Henthorne 7.
Score by quarters:
Sidney—10 23 32 45
Logan—6 14 25 38
Three-pointers: Sidney 2 (Gallimore, Taborn); Logan 3 (Myers 2, Bakon).
Records: Sidney 7-2, Logan 2-5.
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Jackson Center 45, Russia 43
JACKSON CENTER — The Jackson Center Tigers came up with some key plays in the final period to overtake the Russia Raiders and hold on for a 45-42 thriller in County boys basketball action Tuesday night at Jackson.
The Tigers remained unbeaten with the win at 7-0 and are 5-0 and in sole possession of the top spot in the County race. The host Columbus Grove next Tuesday.
Russia is 4-1 and 5-2 and next plays in the Piqua Holiday Tournament next Tuesday and Wednesday. They meet Covington in the first round.
Russia led 32-30 after three periods, but the Tigers gained the upper hand, leading by as many as five late before Russia came up with one of its nine three-pointers. But the Tigers got a free throw with seven seconds left and made it stand up.
Brady Wildermuth had 18 and Drew Sosby 17 for Jackson. Josh York and Jack Dapore had 10 apiece for Russia.
Russia (42) — Counts 6, Monnin 6, Cordonnier 6, Gariety 4, York 10, Dapore 10.
JC (45) — Booser 2, D. Sosby 16, Zorn 7, B. Sosby 2, Wildermuth 18.
Score by quarters:
Russia—9 19 32 42
JC—11 19 30 45
Three-pointers: Russia 9 (Dapore 3, Counts 2, Monnin 2, Cordonnier, Gariety); JC 3 (D. Sosby 2, Zorn).
Records: JC 7-0, Russia 5-2.
Reserve score: Russia 52, JC 31.
COUNTY STANDINGS — Jackson Center 5-0 (7-0), Russia 4-1 (5-2); Anna 3-2 (5-2); Botkins 2-2 (4-5); Fairlawn 2-3 (4-4); Fort Loramie 1-4 (4-5); Houston 0-5 (2-7).
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Anna 47, Houston 35
HOUSTON — The Anna Rockets won for the fourth straight time Tuesday, knocking off the Houston Wildcats in County boys basketball action 47-35.
The win put Anna at 3-2 in the league and 5-2 overall heading into a game at Marion Local Saturday.
Houston dips to 0-5 in the County and 2-7 overall and returns to action Jan. 2 at Fort Loramie.
Anna broke away from a 15-15 tie after a quarter to a 28-23 lead at the half, then made it a nine-point game after three periods.
Blake Stephens tossed in 19 to lead the Rockets and Carter Huelskamp added 10. Domyneik Phipps had 17 for the Wildcats.
TICKETS — Anna will play at Marion Local Saturday night, and athletic director Mike Muehlfeld will be selling tickets for that game Saturday morning from 9 to 9:30 a.m. at the high school.
Anna (47) — Frilling 2, Bensman 6, Huelskamp 10, Luthman 5, Stephens 19, Flesher 6.
Houston (35) — Phipps 17, Arnold 6, Shaffer 4, Jolly 1, Freytag 7.
Score by quarters:
Anna—15 28 40 47
Houston—15 23 31 35
Three-pointers: Anna 4 (Bensman 2, Huelskamp, Stephens); Houston 3 (Phipps 3).
Records: Anna 5-2, Houston 2-7.
Reserve score: Anna 43, Houston 35.
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Fairlawn 69, Botkins 60
BOTKINS — The Fairlawn Jets got another outstanding performance from Nathan Lessing and came away with a 68-60 victory over the Botkins Trojans in County boys action Tuesday.
Lessing poured in 34 points for the Jets, who are now 3-3 in the league and 5-4 overall heading to the Parkway Holiday Tournament next Wednesday and Thursday.
Botkins is 2-3 and 4-6 and is at Minster on Monday.
Lessing was 9-for-10 from the line, including 5-for-6 in the final period. Kody Curtner added 11 for the Jets.
Botkins was led by Chad Bergman with 21, all in the first three periods. Erik Greve had 12 and Nolan Greve 10.
Fairlawn (68) — Lessing 34, Reck 5, N. Brautigam 4, Curtner 11, DeMarcus 2, Hammon 9, Hickman 2, D. Brautigam 1.
Botkins (60) — Egbert 3, Fullenkamp 3, E. Greve 12, Flora 9, L. Bergman 2, N. Greve 10, C. Bergman 21.
Score by quarters:
Fairlawn—21 37 50 68
Botkikns—18 31 43 60
Three-pointers: Fairlawn 3 (Lessing, Hammond, Curtner); Botkins 1 (Egbert).
Records: Fairlawn 5-4, Botkins 4-6.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
