Hardwood Heroes
Bulldogs Lose 39-38 to Raiders in a heartbreaking loss
By: Zachary Knight
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BIDWELL, Ohio (WOUB) – The Athens Bulldogs arrived in Bidwell on senior night in hopes of picking up another conference win against the River Valley Raiders at the end of their season. Unfortunately, they fell just short, losing 39-38.
The starting lineup looked a little different for the Bulldogs, as they were without seniors Sam Trainer and Luke Mullins. Players like freshman Weston Wheatley stepped up for the team, helping out with 15 points, almost half of the Bulldogs points in the game.
Braden Bennet was a threat on the Raider offense, putting up plenty of shots. He picked up two three-point shots early in the game, helping keep the game tight for River Valley.
The Bulldogs were all over the boards in this matchup, showing off some strong defensive efforts. The team finished with 17 rebounds and 8 steals.
While Athens held the lead for most of the game, they began to falter in the home stretch. The Raiders picked up the pace and played more aggressive, allowing the Bulldogs to get to the line several times.
This fast pace payed off for River Valley, who was able to close the gap and with a two pointer from senior Tanner McGuire in the final seconds, the Raiders took the lead and finished the game with a final score of 39-38.
Next week, the Athens Bulldogs will round out their season with two games against Federal Hocking and their final conference matchup against Nelsonville-York.