Hardwood Heroes
Alexander Spartans fight to take home their first win over Athens
By: Jack Zwiezinski
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ATHENS, Ohio(WOUB) – The Alexander Spartans(1-17) took home their first win of the season against the Athens Bulldogs(4-14) on Friday night with a final score of 42-35.
To kick off the game, both teams were waiting to make the first move, Spartans point guard Mason Morris let the ball fly from behind the 3 point line and sunk it to put Alexander on the board first. Both teams were fighting for rebounds as it was getting personal. Alexander had some trouble holding on to the ball in the first quarter, getting hit with two traveling calls within the first five minutes. The Bulldogs were getting points through physicality, as the Spartans were swarming around under the hoop. Athens was spreading the wealth around, with each player in their starting five scoring points, while Alexander was having some foul troubles. The Bulldogs ended the quarter up 11-8.
Starting up the second quarter, Athens put the pedal to the medal, going on a 6-0 run. The Spartans were stepping up their rebound game, as well as handling themselves better in the paint. The Bulldogs were drawing plenty of fouls, while running a tight defense that the Spartans struggled to break through. Alexander was forced to break through this defense as they could not get shots from behind the arc to fall. Athens stayed ahead, going into halftime with a score of 21-16.
Alexander came out from the locker room at half time and immediately set the tone for a different half. The Spartans drew a foul and hit a free throw to shorten the lead to 4. Before Mason Morris drained back to back threes, kicking off a 9-2 run to start the third. Alexander went into this half wasting the clock and rebounding well. Athens switched defensive styles from a tight zone to a press, but could not retrieve the momentum they had in the first half. The Bulldogs struggled with shot selection throughout the third quarter, as Alexander started to heat up.
The fourth quarter started off as a defensive war, with the ball going back and forth and fouls flying left and right. Both Athens’ Luke Mullins and Alexander’s Isaac Waller fouled out in the fourth quarter, as the Spartans started to pick the lead back up. The Bulldogs brought the lead back to 1 point, as Alexander retaliated with a bucket of their own to further expand the lead to 3. Spartan Sam Ohms scores to extend the lead to 3, while Klaxton Hawk had a clutch rebound and was fouled, allowing him to shoot 2 free throws. Hawk sunk both, putting the lead up to 7, before he got up and snagged a board, icing the game.
The Alexander Spartans are suiting up to face off against the Trimble Tomcats at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 3rd, looking to possibly take their second win.