The McClain Tigers ended their tournament run in a Division II Sectional Championship matchup against the Unioto Shermans Saturday afternoon at Northeastern High School.
The Tigers shot 5 of 18 from the freethrow line for 27 percent. Mat Barton and Dalton Mischal led scoring for McClain with 11 points each.
The Tigers only made 4 points in the first quarter between a three from Mat Barton and one freethrow from Owen O’Connor, allowing the Shermans to jump out to a 12-point lead by the end of the first quarter.
McClain tightened up their defense in the second quarter, keeping the Shermans at 7 points while making 11 for themselves between O’Conner, Jacob Starkey, Barton, Dalton Mischal and Jay Beatty.
By the half, the score was 23-15 with the Tigers trailing by 8 points.
The Tigers couldn’t make a single point in the third quarter, costing them the game and a shot at the district semifinal; Mischal led an offensive surge with three quick twos and a 3-pointer in the final quarter, taking the Tigers to an 18-point gain for the period, but it wasn’t enough to stall the Shermans, who put up 17 to end the game at 49-33.
“I thought we were out of sorts rhythm-wise,” said McClain head coach Jesse Mitchell. “I credit that to some of their pressure on our guards. I don’t know if it was the atmosphere or the speed of the game or what it was, we just didn’t execute little things… We didn’t score in the third quarter, and that was the difference of the game.”
Summary
Unioto — 16 7 9 17 — 49
McClain — 4 11 0 18 — 33
UHS: Swackhammer 2-9/10-13; Edler 1/3-1; White 1-2/4-5; Kennedy 1-3; Ivey 1/2-1; Ogan 2-4; Fisher 3-5/6-11; Hill 5-1/6-11
Totals: 12(2)-19/32-49
MHS: O’Connor 2-2/4-6; Starkey 1/04-2; Barton (3)-2/6-11; Mischal 4(1)-0/2-11; Gray 1-2; Beatty 1/2-1
Totals: 8(4)-5/18-33
Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.
