by Gregg Meadows
Coach Todd McLoughlin’s Tri-Valley boys’ basketball team is off to a good start for 2024, reeling off three wins to start the New Year, and heads to conference hoops rival Sheridan on Jan. 12 with a perfect 6-0 Muskingum Valley League record intact.
After picking up a convincing 51-34 victory at Fairfield Union on Jan. 3, the Scotties picked up wins at River View (74-32) on Jan. 5, then a 67-21 triumph over visiting Meadowbrook on Tuesday night, Jan. 9 in Dresden at The Dawg House.
Back on Dec. 28: Coach Todd McLoughlin’s TVHS boys basketball team welcomed D-I Hilliard Bradley to the Dawg House on Thursday night, December 28 for a non-conference cage contest to close out the 2023 calendar year portion of their schedule.
The Scotties trailed just 14-12 at the first break, but were outscored 59-38 the rest of the way, falling to Hilliard Bradley by a final 73-50 count, and dropping to 5-2 on the season heading to the New Year.
Terrell Darden was the only double-figure scorer for Tri-Valley with 16 points. Coach Chris Garber’s Scottie JV squad posted the only victory on the night for the home team in the tripleheader of hoops, as the TV reserves downed Hilliard Bradley 39-22. Scottie sophomore Ryan Lamonica led the winners with 14 points. The Scottie freshman team tipped off the evening with a 48-21 loss to the Hilliard Bradley ninth grade squad. Colten Rollison and Koen Moore led the Scottie frosh with six points apiece.
The Scotties tipped off the New Year with a big win on Tuesday night, Jan. 2 on the road, whipping host Fairfield Union by a convincing 51-34 count in an important non-conference contest.
The last time the two teams met, the Falcons bested the Scotties 37-33 – in a defensive battle (and offensive struggle) for both teams – in the D-II Regional semi-final game back in March at Ohio University’s Convocation Center.
Tri-Valley got a Max Lyall lay-up (off a nice assist from Erik Neal) on its first possession to take a quick 2-0 lead and never trailed against the host Falcons. TV’s Terrell Darden, fellow senior Erik Neal, and sophomore Keaton Hahn added treys in the opening period, as the visiting Scotties took an 11-7 lead at the first break.
The Scotties dropped 11 more points through the nets in the second stanza, as a Neal lay-up off a nice Lyall assist, a Lyall trey from deep in the corner, and a Hahn rebound put-back saw the visitors score on their first three possessions to take an 18-7 lead.
Neither team had much offense in the last four minutes of the first half, as a pair of charity tosses from Darden, and his nifty lane floater through the hoop gave the Scotties their 22-point total at intermission, with the host Falcons putting just 12 points on the home scoreboard.
Tri-Valley kept the pressure up – especially on defense – in the third quarter, as Lyall contributed another trey and a lay-up, junior starter Devin Crane two good-looking counters close to the bucket, then a pair of free throws and an athletic lane turn-around banker from Neal on the Dawg’s last possession of the period, that gave the black-and-gold a 35-25 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
The Scotties poured it on in the final frame, as Neal opened the quarter with a trey, Hahn contributed another rebound put-back, Darden dropped in six points on drives to the hoop, Lyall another lay-up, then Neal closed out the Falcons with a hustle lay-up off a steal for the final 51-34 tally.
Neal and Darden led the winners with 14 points each, with Lyall close behind in double figures with 12 counters. Neal led Scottie rebounders with nine caroms, and also had three assists and three blocks for TV. Fairfield Union standout Caleb Schmelzer’s game-high 20 points led the Falcons.
The Scotties also won a competitive junior varsity game by a 39-33 count and were led in scoring by junior Kam Karns who scorched the nets for 18 points (13 in the first quarter. Tri-Valley dropped the freshman game by a 53-30 count and were led in scoring by Cam Crane’s nine points, six from Lucca Gargasz, and five from Jaxson Marshall.
On Friday night, Jan. 5 in Warsaw, the Scotties belted host River View by a 74-32 count. The visitors blitzed the host Black Bears in the first frame, taking a 28-2 lead after one quarter and never looked back, as a running clock in the second half got the Dawgs home early. Nohah Nichols led five Scotties in double figure scoring with 16, followed by Terrell Darden (12), and Max Lyall, Brady Kaufman, and Ryan Lamonica all with 10 each. Hatden Walter’s nine points led the Black Bears.
Tri-Valley won the JV game 54-12 and were led in scoring by Kade Hindel’s 11, and 10 apiece from Angelo Haddix and Ryan Lamonica. Kameron Fitch’s five points were tops for RV. TV also captured the freshman game 48-25 and were led by Colten Rollison’s 19 and Lucca Gargasz with 15. Gavin Bohmer’s nine led RV.
On Tuesday night, Jan. 9 in Dresden at The Dawg House, the Scotties defeated winless Meadowbrook 67-21 and were led in scoring by Terrell Darden with 18 points, Nohah Nichols with 16, and Erik Neal with 10. TV won the JV game 59-21 and were led by Kade Hindel’s 16 points, and 14 from Oliver Baker.
