by Gregg Meadows
After an opening season loss on the road at Dublin Scioto, Coach Todd McLoughlin’s Scottie boys basketball team (the defending MVL champs) has reeled off five straight wins to start the 2022-23 season as they head into a big weekend of hoop action on the road – first at conference ‘Big-School’ division foe Maysville on Friday night, Dec. 16 – then a certain tough test 24 hours later at always tough Dover, in a non-conference contest.
Here’s a look at the Scottie’s last five games – all wins!
On Tuesday night, Dec. 13 in Dresden at The Dawg House, the Scotties defeated visiting River View 60-53 to improve their season record to 5-1 overall. The Scotties led at every break over a competitive Black Bear squad, who rallied in the fourth quarter to make a game of it before the home team hung on for the win.
TV sophomore standout Max Lyall led the winners with 17 points, followed closely by fellow soph’ Nohah Nichols’ 16 counters and 11 from junior Terrell Darden. Brody Border’s 21 and 18 from Owen Emig were tops for the Black Bears, who fell to a deceptive 1-4 record on the season. TV also captured the JV game – 56-30 – over RV and were led in scoring by sophomores Keaton Hahn (17 pts.) and Devin Crane (13 pts.). Cael Summers’ 14 led the Black Bears. In the freshman game which tipped off the evening, the Scotties prevailed as well – 47-41 – and were led by Troy Patterson’s 17 points and eight counters from Oliver Lanning.
On Friday night, Dec. 9 at The Dawg House, the Scotties used a big fourth quarter to dispose of visiting MVL hoops nemesis Sheridan by a 52-36 score. The Scotties led at the first two breaks, but saw the Generals storm back with an 18-9 third quarter advantage to take a 32-30 lead into the fourth quarter. But host Tri-Valley turned the tables on SHS in the final period, outscoring the Generals 22-4 to coast to the win. Scottie junior big man Erik Neal led the way for the winners with his season-high 16 points, followed by 12 from Terrell Darden. Raine Rodich’s 15 led Sheridan. TV got the win in the JV game as well – 44-38 – and were led by 13 from Keaton Hahn and 12 from Kam Karns. Sheridan win the 9th grade game 34-29. Troy Patterson’s 11 points were tops for TV.
On Wednesday night Dec. 6 on the road at Meadowbrook in a Muskingum Valley League crossover game (Big School vs. Small School divisions) the Scotties led just 12-10 at the first break, but then turned it on the rest of the way to take a convincing 75-25 win back to Dresden.
On Saturday afternoon Dec. 3, the Granville Blue Aces played host to the Scotties on Denison University’s home floor for a tripleheader of hoops. In the tip-off of the three games, Coach Davis Keel’s Scottie frosh bested the host Blue Ace ninth grade squad by a 30-23 count and were led by Troy Patterson’s eight points. Coach Chris Garber’s TV JV’s did not fare as well in the reserve contest, falling to Granville by a 36-33 count. TV’s Brady Kaufman and Keaton Hahn’s nine points were tops for the black and gold.
The varsity contest capped the afternoon of hoops, with Coach Todd McLoughlin’s Scotties hanging on for a hard-fought 57-51 win over a fast-closing Blue Aces squad.
The Scotties stormed out to a 22-4 lead at the first break but cooled considerably in the second stanza, scoring just five points in the frame, but still led by ten – 27-17 at the halftime break.
The visiting black and gold took a 39-30 lead into what was a wild fourth quarter. In the final period, Granville hustled back to within three points with a minute left – thanks in kind to a trio of Scotties who fouled out, before TV dug down deep and held on for the win. Terrell Darden’s 17 led the winners, with Max Lyall adding 16.
Back on Friday night, Dec. 2 in Dresden, the Scotties jumped out to a 19-1 lead at the first break and never looked back in their 40-point, 62-22 win over visiting Crooksville.
Terrell Darden’s 16 counters led the winners with Lyall right behind with his 15, Scottie sophomore Brady Kaufman’s 16 points paced Coach Chris Garber’s TV JV’s to a 63-16 victory over the Crooksville reserve squad. In an entertaining freshman game, visiting Fort Frye provided plenty of competition for Coach Davis Keel’s Scottie ninth grade boys squad, but the home team TV frosh prevailed 40-33, thanks to point guard Troy Patterson’s 15 points, and 10 first-half points from teammate Reece Naber.
