Staff report
SIDNEY — The Jackson Center Tigers rolled to a big lead by the half and went on to beat the Lehman Cavaliers 67-39 in non-league boys basketball action Tuesday night at Lehman.
The win gave the Tigers a 9-1 record and a successful bounce-back from their first loss of the season Saturday night at Anna. The Tigers return to action Friday at home against Fort Loramie, then travel to New Knoxville on Saturday.
The Cavaliers are now 2-7 after their third straight loss. The Cavs have not reached 40 points in any of those setbacks and will play twice on the road this weekend, Friday at Riverside in Northwest Central Conference action and Saturday at Houston.
The Cavs had no answer for Jackson Center senior standout Brady Wildermuth in the first quarter. He had eight of the Tigers’ 11 points in the quarter and it was a seven-point lead at its end.
Then in the second quarter, Wildermuth again scored eight and Drew Sosby warmed up from long range with a pair of three-pointers and eight points in all. The two had 16 of the Tigers’ 19 in the quarter and the lead ballooned to 30-13 at the break.
The Cavs got going offensively in the third period, led by Ben Frantz, who had a pair of three-pointers and nine points in all in the quarter. Heading to the final period, the Tigers were up 49-29.
Wildermuth finished with 27 for the Tigers and Sosby added 19 on the strength of five three-pointers.
Frantz finished with 13 for Lehman.
Jackson Center (67) — Platfoot 4, Booser 2, D. Sosby 19, Gambrel 2, Zorn 8, B. Sosby 4, Wildermuth 27, Hickman 1.
Lehman (39) — Schutt 3, Rourke 4, Monnin 3, Arnold 8, Frantz 13, Curry 2, Bunker 6.
Score by quarters:
Jackson—11 30 49 67
Lehman—4 13 29 39
Three-pointers: JC 7 (Sosby 5, Zorn 2); Lehman 4 (Frantz 2, Schutt, Arnold).
Records: JC 9-1, Lehman 2-7.
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Versailles 70, Loramie 46
VERSAILLES — The Fort Loramie Redskins fell behind 35-15 at the half and couldn’t come back against the Versailles Tigers in a non-league boys basketball game at Versailles Tuesday.
The loss left the Redskins at 5-7 on the season heading to Jackson Center for a County game Friday. Versailles is now 9-2 and host St. Henry Friday.
The Tigers were powered once again by sophomore Justin Ahrens, who hit five three-pointers and finished with 30 points. Niekamp added 13.
Fort Loramie also had two in double figures, with Dillon Braun finishing with 11 and Drew Wehrman 10.
Fort Loramie (46) — Braun 11, Wehrman 10, Berning 6, Pleiman 5, Gasson 4, Siegel 6, Rosengarten 2.
Versailles (70) — J. Ahrens 30, Niekamp 13, Knapke 7, K. McEldowney 6, Wendel 5, B. McEldowney 3, Cordonnier 2, AJ Ahrens 2, Jones 2.
Score by quarters:
Loramie—8 15 29 46
Versailles—16 35 55 70
Three-pointers: Loramie 5 (Braun 3, Berning); Versailles 5 (J. Ahrens 5).
Records: Loramie 5-7, Versailles 9-2.
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Russia 56, Ansonia 35
ANSONIA — The Rusia Raiders had a case of the Tuesday night blues, but fortunately, it only last for a half in a 56-35 win over Ansonia in non-league boys basketball Tuesday.
The win put the Raiders at 10-2 heading to Fairlawn Friday for the start of the second round of County play.
“They came out in a zone and were very active,” said Russia coach Spencer Cordonnier. “Give them credit. They were the aggressors in the first half. But we turned up the pressure in the second half and got some easy baskets out of it.”
The Raiders trailed 11-6 after one quarter, and outscored the Tigers 15-5 in the second period. But the lead was still just five.
The third quarter was the difference — Russia outscored the Tigers 26-7.
Josh York had 15 for the Raiders.
Russia (56) — Counts 2, C. Monnin 6, T. Monnin 4, Cordonnier 7, Gariety 4, Ball 4, Tebbe 8, Busse 2, York 15, Dapore 4.
Ansonia (35) — Sink 2, Swob 9, Saunders 2, Alexander 2, Wentworth 14, Clark 6.
Score by quarters:
Russia—6 21 47 56
Ansonia—11 16 23 35
Three-pointers: Russia 4 (C. Monnin 2, Cordonnier, Dapore); Ansonia 6 (Swob 3, Wentworth 2, Clark).
Records: Russia 10-2, Ansonia 2-8.
Reserve score: Russia 55, Ansonia 14.
