Golden Eagles net 48-36 Homecoming nod
The Golden Eagle defense is becoming a tough nut to crack.
Big Walnut, limiting Watkins Memorial to only 7 second-half field goals while claiming a 12-5 edge on the Warriors’ offensive glass, celebrated Winter Homecoming Night with a 48-36 Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division victory over the visitors from Pataskala Friday night in Sunbury.
The win was the fourth straight for Eric Myers’ Big Walnut (6-6, 4-4 OCC) crew who leveled their season record at 6-6 and their Capital Division mark at 4-4 while avenging a 45-42 loss suffered at the hands of Watkins Memorial (3-10, 1-7 OCC) back on December 6.
“Our defense has been huge during our winning streak, and tonight was no different.” Myers said of his defense that has held three of BW’s last four opponents to 45 points or less. “Again we did not shoot the ball well out of the gate against Watkins’ 2-3 zone, but our defense kept the game close until we got untracked on offense.”
Trailing the Warriors 4-2 with 1:12 remaining in the opening quarter, junior guard Zach Laughman came off the bench to nail a three and the Golden Eagles were off and running in the first half. Laughman’s trey ignited a 14-2 run led by senior guard Grant Beam who scored six of the 14 points.
“We went to Zach early off the bench to give us another outside scoring threat,” Myer said. “When he entered the game I told him to go out and shoot the ball … he listened well.”
Big Walnut went up by as many as eight in the second period, taking a 23-15 lead on Laughman’s second three of the game and a pair of free throws by junior forward Adam Shaheen with 2:01 left before the intermission. The Golden Eagles went into the break up by six, 25-19.
Pat Dimmick’s Warriors closed to within four of the lead at 25-21 on junior Aarmanni Garnett’s rebound basket at the 6:14 mark of the third period, but Big Walnut responded with a 7-0 spur on sophomore Nick Herbert’s three off the bench, a fast-break lay in by Seth Wandling and Tyler Beam’s baseline jumper to go up by 11 at 32-21 with 3:27 left in the quarter.
The Warriors refused to fold, closing out the third quarter with a 10-4 run led by a pair if baskets by senior Chase Dupps. Grant Beam accounted for both Golden Eagle baskets as the period ended with Big Walnut holding a 5-point, 36-31 advantage.
Big Walnut, forcing six Watkins’ turnovers in the first six minutes of the final quarter, went on a 11-2 run to open up a 14-point 47-33 advantage with 1:46 to play. Junior Carson Chatterton and Wandling opened the run with baskets before the Golden Eagles cashed in on six of eight fee throws to put the game out of reach.
“We did a good job of controlling the ball in the fourth quarter and keeping it out of Watkins Memorial’s hands,” Myers said. “There are times when your offense contributes on defense and this was one of those times.”
For the game, Big Walnut committed only 10 turnovers in its 51 possessions, a 19.6 turnover percentage, while giving up only 6 points. The Warriors turned the ball over 16 times in 51 possessions, a 31.4 percentage while surrendering 15 points.
Tyler Beam led Big Walnut with a game-high 15 points while Grant Beam followed with 12. Wandling and Laughman followed with 6 points apiece. LeTrel Taylor, the Warriors’ 6-1 senior guard, led Watkins Memorial with 8 points as no Warrior scored in double figures. Senior Taylor Fuss was next with 5 points.
Big Walnut shot 34 percent (16-for-47) for the game, converting 12 of 22 (54.5 percent) free throws. The Golden Eagles, led by Shaheen’s 9 rebounds, claimed a 40-31 advantage on the boards. Wandling followed with 7 and Chatterton with 5 rebounds for Big Walnut.
Watkins Memorial made 16 of 44 from the field, a 46.4 percentage, and 3 of 5 free throws for 60 percent. Garnett matched Shaheen for board honors with 9 rebounds.
Article source: http://www.sunburynews.com/sports.asp?ID=1636&Story=1