Sports
Logan Defense Stymies Alexander
< < Back to logan-defense-stymies-alexanderWith the regular season coming to a close, the Alexander Spartans (4-16, 0-9 TVC-Ohio) hosted the Logan Chieftains in dire need of halting their current four-game losing streak.
Unfortunately, the Spartans were unable to piece together a complete game and lost by single-digits for the eighth time this season, 43-36.
The contest started off fairly sloppy for both teams as the Chieftains led the Spartans 17-13 at the end of the first half. The Chieftains went into the break shooting merely 30 percent from the floor while committing 10 turnovers.
Alexander played the Chieftains tough for the third quarter as they entered the fourth down 34-30, however the paint play of Logan forward Tristan Myers proved to be too much to handle for this young Alexander squad.
Myers was able to utilize his size down low quite effectively and finished the game with team-highs of 19 points and seven rebounds. Complementing Myers, Logan guard Josh Mutzner stepped up with 11 points, with five of those coming from the charity strike.
Defense was not the issue for the Spartans as they held the Chieftains to 43 points after allowing 83 points in their meeting last season. Alexander, however, had difficulties finding the bottom of the net as they made just 14 of their 47 attempted shots on the night.
“Defensively to hold Logan to 43 points is a tremendous job,” head coach Blaine Gabriel said. “But, we got to make shots. Defensively we did what we wanted to tonight, we just got to make shots. Defense isn’t our problem.”
Despite winning the turnover margin 13-17, the Spartans were outdone on the boards 14-27. The youth and lack of size down low has given the Spartans collective problems throughout the season.
The Spartans were led behind senior forward Braden Jones who closed the night with 14 points and seven rebounds. Freshman forward Seth Richardson added an additional 11 points for the Spartans.
The Spartans head back to The Alley Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. to make up a postponed game against the Southern Tornadoes (9-11, 7-8). Southern is currently fifth in the TVC-Hocking.