Hardwood Heroes Sports
Buckeyes Can’t Complete the Comeback; Fall to Meigs Marauders
By: Will Price
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NELSONVILLE-YORK, Ohio- With the lead evaporating, it seemed like this game may slip away from the Meigs Marauders.
After Mikey Seel hit three straight shots from deep to dwindle the lead down, the Nelsonville-York Buckeyes dwindled down the lead late in the third quarter, and eventually tied it in the fourth.
That’s when Coulter Cleland and Weston Baer took over.
Cleland and Baer combined for 35 points on the night as the Marauders survived a second-half flurry from the Buckeyes on their way to a 65-60 victory.
The game started with sloppy play on both sides, but it was Meigs who found themselves up early. It was their defensive pressure that stifled the Nelsonville offense, as the Buckeyes ended the night with double-digit turnovers.
Meigs wasn’t able to open up too big of a lead, in large part to the play of Ethan Gail. Gail got inside and found himself at the free-throw line often. His ability to penetrate the Marauders’ defense eventually got the Buckeyes going, as they ended the first half down only four, 26-22.
Cleland said Meigs head coach Jeremy Hill was blunt with the team at halftime.
“He told us we sucked,” Cleland said. “And when we came back out, I thought we played better.”
Cleland was the catalyst for that change. He got to the paint at will in the second half and helped the Marauders extend the lead to start the third quarter.
That’s when Seel’s barrage got the Buckeyes right back into the ballgame. Seel would finish the night with 13 points, while Gail led the team with 16. The Buckeyes scored 22 in the third quarter alone, matching their entire first half in just that period.
With the game hanging in the balance, Baer took control and helped put NY away for good. He was off from deep with only one three-pointer on the night, but made up for it with his steady shooting from inside the line.
Baer would finish the night with 17 points, only outdone by Cleland, who notched 18 points to go along with seven rebounds.
Hill said while the team didn’t play to their potential, he’s always satisfied to leave with the win.
“It doesn’t matter what it looks like, a win is a win,” Hill said. “Tonight, we didn’t play very well, it wasn’t our best effort, but we won the basketball game.”
Up next for the Marauders, they play at Wellston next Friday. The Buckeyes have a quick turnaround, hoping to end their six-game losing streak on Saturday against the Trimble Tomcats.