WAPAKONETA – It was a fast, torrid first quarter for Wapakoneta.
The Redskins were nearly perfect in the first eight minutes of action, scoring 25 points on 10 of 11 shooting against visiting Marion Local.
However, Marion Local adjusted, slowed Wapakoneta down and went on for a hard-fought 54-52 overtime victory Monday night in a nonconference boys basketball game.
Marion Local’s only lead came in overtime, as the Flyers took the lead and hung on for the thrilling win.
Adam Scott led Wapakoneta (10-4) with 16 points (14 in the second half). Scott also pulled down six rebounds and made two steals at the defensive end. Gage Schenk poured in 15 points (12 in the first quarter). Aaron Good connected four times behind the 3-point line for 12 points for the Redskins.
Tyler Mescher led Marion Local (9-3) with 16 points and five boards. Teammate Nathan Bruns scored 15 points.
“It was a big victory for us, because most of our wins this year have been blow-out wins,” Marion Local coach Kurt Goettemoeller said. “To beat a 10-3 team – a very good Wapak team on the road, and the way we did it; having to come back and gutting it out and finishing a game like that, will hopefully build a little momentum and character.”
Wapakoneta jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, with Schenk accounting for all the points.
The Redskins pulled out to a 25-13 lead by the first stop. Schenk poured in 12 points in the first quarter, on 5 of 5 shooting. Good knocked down two 3-pointers to help lead the way. The Redskins missed one shot from the floor in the first quarter.
However, the Redskins cooled off after the first frame, hitting just 2 of 11 from the floor.
Marion Local cut the deficit to 28-22 at the 2:40 mark on an inside move by Nick Tangeman.
Wapakoneta led 31-24 by the halftime break.
The Redskins pushed out to a 40-26 lead, three minutes into the second half, on a three by Good.
Wapakoneta led 42-34 by the end of the third quarter.
“We had a good scouting report on them and we let No 11 (Good) get loose for some threes,” Goettemoeller said. “Then, we let No. 2 (Schenk) go to his left hand all game long. We weren’t ready to play.”
The Flyers cut the deficit to 42-37 on a three by Bruns, less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. Then moments later, Mescher cut it to 42-39 on a put-back.
The Flyers cut it to three points, two more times in the final quarter.
With 2:32 left to play in the game, Bruns made 1 of 2 shots from the free throw line, cutting the Wapakoneta lead to 47-45.
Then with 1:52 left in the game, Mescher scored, knotting the game at 47 apiece.
The game was knotted again at 49-49 on two free throws by Bruns with 1:12 remaining in regulation.
Then the Flyers got the ball with less than five seconds remaining. Tyler Prenger put up an off-balance shot from the left wing, which fell short, forcing an overtime.
In the extra session, the Flyers took the lead and hung for the win.
From the floor, Wapakoneta shot 49 percent. Marion Local connected on 50-percent of its field goal attempts.
The Flyers held the edge on the boards, 22-21.
Wapakoneta committed 13 turnovers, while Marion Local turned the ball over 14 times on the night.
Goettemoeller said his team’s effort, defensively, was the difference.
“We put the 1-3-1 (zone) in a week ago, and the guys didn’t even like it. We’re so long. And they (Wapakoneta) got very stagnate against this defense. The guys who were shooting threes – they weren’t so willing to shoot it,” he said.
GIRLS
Kalida 57, Ayersville 23
The Wildcats raised their record to 9-7 with a non-league win over Ayersville (6-9).
Kara Siefker led Kalida with 15 points, including four 3-pointers, and Sarah Klausing scored 12 points. Taylor Lucke, Lauren Langhals and Klausing all had four steals for the Wildcats, who forced 32 turnovers by Ayersville.
Columbus Grove 68, Fort Jennings 41
Carlee McCluer’s 16 points led four scorers in double figures for Columbus Grove in a Putnam County League game. Lauren Schroeder and Abigail Gladwell had 15 points and Angel Schneider had 10 points.
For Fort Jennings, Makenna Ricker scored 10 points.
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