ROMM PHOTOGRAPHY
Evan Keeslar, of Green, tries to get around Cloverleaf defender Robby Buckwald during the Bulldogs' win Friday over the Colts. Keeslar had 20 points, while Buckwald had 10 in defeat.
GRANGER TWP., Ohio -- The Tallmadge Blue Devils won their third game in a row Friday night, defeating the Highland Hornets 46-38 in a Suburban League game at Highland High School.
“We’re learning how to compete for 32,” Tallmadge coach Aaron Hinkle said. “It wasn’t there for all 32 tonight. But we did a lot of good things and I was pleased with the effort.”
Tallmadge was able to take advantage of its height to control the glass and the paint.
Six-foot-6 senior forward Nathan Jackson, 6-foot-5 senior forward Tucker Linder and 6-foot-2 junior forward Bryon Cook had 30 of the Blue Devils’ 46 points. Jackson led the way with 14 points. Linder and Cook added eight points apiece.
Hinkle made a big point to his front court trio after allowing Highland to score nine of its 14 points in the first half on second-shot opportunities.
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“We knew the second half would be a battle in the paint,” Hinkle said. “In that third quarter we did a great job of finishing the possession. I thought our size gave them (Highland) some problems in the interior.”
Jackson took control of the game for the Blue Devils in the third quarter when he scored four baskets in the first three-plus minutes on layups or put-backs.
“The offense was just working in the early part of the third quarter,” Jackson said. “Everybody was working to get rebounds.”
Tallmadge was able to shove the lead out to 33-19 with two minutes remaining in the third period when Highland freshman Tanner Houska decided to put the team on his back. The 5-foot-9 point guard scored nine straight points to close the gap to 33-28 with six minutes to go in the game.
“We turned it over too much in that quick stretch and let them back into the game,” Hinkle said.
The Blue Devils went back to their strength for the remainder of the game. Nine of the remaining 13 points were scored by Jackson, Linder and Cook.
Highland coach Mike Marcinko said his team “couldn’t throw it in the ocean and couldn’t guard a 4-foot box in the paint.”
Shooting 9-for-19 from the free-throw line didn’t help the Hornets’ cause either. The next Suburban League game for Highland will be next Friday at home against Wadsworth.
Tallmadge continues on the road in the Suburban League next Friday against Copley.
SCOREBOARD
Tallmadge (6-4, 3-3) 7 – 12 – 14 – 13 = 46
Highland (6-5, 3-3) 6 – 8 – 10 – 14 = 38
INDIVIDUAL SCORING:
Tallmadge: Nathan Jackson 7 0-1 14, Tucker Linder 3 2-5 8, Bryon Cook 3 2-3 8, Joel Rositer 2 0-0 5, Eli Baker 2 0-0 5, Anthony Gotto 2 0-0 4, Jacob Wood 1 0-0 2. Totals: 20 4-9 46.
Highland: Tanner Houska 5 3-8 13, Brennan Scott 3 2-5 8, Brogan Scott 2 4-6 8, Adam Bialosky 2 0-0 5, Alex Wood 1 0-0 2, Austin Adams 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 9-19 38.
3-POINTERS: Tallmadge 2 (Rositer, Baker); Highland 1 (Bialosky)
In other Suburban League games:
GREEN 62, CLOVERLEAF 44. At Green, the Bulldogs outscored the Colts 39-24 in the second half and cruised to victory.
Seniors Evan Keeslar and Andrew Pratt scored 20 and 17 points, respectively for Green (5-4, 4-2) to lead the Bulldogs.
Cloverleaf senior Zack Miglich had 13 points for the Colts (1-9, 0-6), while junior Robby Buckwald added 10 points in the losing effort.
WADSWORTH 58, REVERE 43. At Wadsworth, the Grizzlies built a 35-22 lead in the first half and finished off the Minutemen with a 15-12 fourth to seal the Suburban League victory.
Six-foot-6 senior Josh Kipfer led the Grizzlies (5-4) with 17 points, while sophomore Kyle Prunty added 11, and Nathan Pound put up nine for Wadsworth, which got 29 points from its bench.
Senior Mitch Ruetty went for 17 to lead Revere (1-10)