Unioto Holds On To SVC Boys Basketball Lead with Win at Adena

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Saturday night saw why SVC Boys Basketball is no sure thing for the conference leaders on any night, as the top three teams struggled to pick up wins.

Front-runner Unioto ran their conference record to (7-1) with a 50-42 hard-fought win at (6-3) Adena, while (7-2) Westfall needed two overtimes to take down Paint Valley 66-64 and (7-2) Zane Trace needed one overtime to edge Piketon 53-49.

In the Litter Media Radio broadcast game, the Shermans got out to an 8-0 start over the Warriors before Adena rallied for a 5-0 finish of the first quarter for a 14-9 Unioto advantage. After the Tanks built a 20-12 lead in the second quarter, Adena cut that deficit to 24-19 at halftime.

“We knew we had to had to come out strong” said Blake Fitch, the McDonald’s Player of the Game. “That beginning was huge for us… We had to come out big, we knew they’d fight back, but we just had to keep on goin’.”

The closest the Warriors came all night was 27-26 early in the third period before Unioto stretched it to 37-30 to end the third quarter. The Shermans’ biggest spread in the game was 41-30, only to see Adena make two more pushes to get within 43-40 and 45-42. But, Unioto closed the game on a 5-0 run for the 50-42 win.

“We knew Adena was gonna go on a run” Shermans Coach Matt Hoops said in his post game interview on Litter Media RADIO. “They’re too athletic and too talented not to. We just kinda withstood it – kinda fought it off – took care of the basketball and hit free throws down the stretch.”

“The one thing we did not do tonight” said Warriors Coach Ryan Olaker, “we did not quit. I felt the last time, down there at Unioto towards the fourth quarter, we were gassed. And today, they just kept diggin’ down deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper for more energy. I was tickled to death with the effort the performance, not happy with the outcome.”

Unioto’s Fitch of led the scoring with 20 points, while JB Perkins had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. Blake Hoops added 6 points, Caden Cutright 3 points, Newt Hoops 2 points and Ashton Crace had 1 point and 9 rebounds.

Adena was led by sophomore Lucas King’s 17 points and 7 rebounds. Joedy Ater scored 12 points, Cayden Lee 7 and Bryson Smith 6 points.

Unioto shot 13/36- including 1/7 from the arc for 36% from the field but were 13/17 at the foul line. Adena shot 14/39- including 5/16 from the arc for 36%, but managed only 9/16 from the charity stripe. Unioto out-rebounded Adena 26-21, with Adena committing 10 turnovers while Unioto had 7.

Unioto improves to (7-1/10-5) while Adena drops to (6-3/11-6).

These two schools will battle again for the SVC Girls top-spot on Tuesday, January 30th as conference unbeaten Unioto hosts once-beaten Adena. Litter Media Radio will broadcast the game with airtime at approximately 7pm.

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