Coach Todd McLoughlin’s Tri-Valley boys basketball team stepped onto the tournament trail on Tuesday night, Feb. 21 in Dresden at The Dawg House. And to say that their post-season opener was a successful one would be putting it mildly, as the Scotties (the No. 4 seed in the East 1 Division II Sectional/District bracket) dismantled No. 19 seed Rayland Buckeye Local by a 69-19 count.
The win advances Tri-Valley (now 16-7) to the Sectional championship game to be played on Saturday, Feb. 25 back in Dresden at The Dawg House vs. Philo (the No. 17 seed in the D-II East 1 bracket). It’s the same Electrics squad that the Scotties defeated 73-43 on Philo’s home court just a week ago, in TV’s regular season closer.
Tip-off for the Sectional title game is set for 7:00 p.m. at TVHS.
In the Buckeye Local win, the visiting Panthers (who entered the Dawg House with an 8-14 record) had to wonder if they were on a basketball court – or a track – as the host Scotties nearly ran their opponent off the floor, grabbing every loose ball for fast break lay-ups, and utilizing a whopping 22 first-quarter possessions to jump out to a 23-9 lead at the first break.
Scottie junior Terrell Darden struck for seven first-frame markers, while teammates Erik Neal and Nohah Nichols dropped in six counters apiece to spark the home team’s hot start.
Things got no better for the Panthers in the second stanza, as Scottie senior forward Aaron Frueh threw in six points and classmates Jayden Walker and Jack Winland dropped in four and three counters each to propel the Dawgs to a 41-11 halftime lead. Tri-Valley held Buckeye Local to just eight points the rest of the way, as a running clock chewed up the fourth quarter for the big Scottie win.
Nohah Nichols led the winners with 12 points, followed by 10 from Aaron Frueh, then balanced scoring for the rest of the lineup as follows: Erik Neal and Terrell Darden (nine), Jayden Walker (six), Jack Winland, Kyler Brennen, and Ryan Lamonica (five), and two apiece from Brady Kaufman, Kam Karns, Max Lyall, and Keaton Hahn. Gavyn Romanyak’s six points and five from Ryder Kindberg-Colabelli led Buckeye Local.
Back on Friday night, Feb. 17 on the road at Philo in the 2022-23 regular season closer, the Scotties defeated the host Electrics 73-43 to finish the regular season with a 15-7 overall record and 13-3 mark in Muskingum Valley League play, good for runner-up honors in conference action to league champion Maysville.
The visiting Scotties led just 14-12 late in the first quarter against host Philo, but closed the opening session on a 7-0 run to take a 21-14 lead into the second period. Senior guard Jayden Walker struck for seven first-frame points while fellow starters Max Lyall and Terrell Darden added five points and Erik Neal four to spur the good start.
Six different Scotties cracked the scoring column in the second stanza as the black and gold took a commanding 41-22 lead into the halftime locker room, then cruised in the second half to get the eventual 30-point win.
Max Lyall led the Scotties with 18 points, followed by Terrell Darden’s 16 counters, 12 from Jayden Walker, nine from Erik Neal, and eight and seven points respectively from Aaron Frueh (including a pair of treys) and Nohah Nichols. Cade Searls led Philo with a game-high 23 points.
Coach Chris Garber’s Scottie junior varsity team put the wraps on a solid 17-5 season with their 65-27 win over Philo in the reserve contest. TV freshman Ryan Lamonica’s 20 first-half points led all scorers, followed by Kam Karns (11), Keaton Hahn (nine), Kyler Brennen (seven), and six points apiece from Kade Hindel and Derek Frueh.
Coach Davis Keel’s Tri-Valley freshman team also completed their season on a winning note – defeating the host Philo frosh squad by a 57-21 count. Troy Patterson’s 12 points led the winners, followed by nine counters from Casen Baker, eight points apiece from Reece Naber and Jason Shawger, and five for Angelo Haddox.
