Athens 59
Chillicothe 49
... what a tale of 2 halves ... Athens in the first 2 quarters put up 14 points - TOTAL ...the Bulldogs (IF that's who was on the Convo court in the White uni's- I'm still working on the theory that someone kidnapped the AHS boys and we watched a shadow of the Athens team in half #1) ... 11 TOs ... 0/4 shooting from behind the arc, a team that looked so unlike the Bulldog squad we have become familiar with in the 2012-13 regular season ... Chillicothe? the Cavs (at least that's who was supposed to be on the opposite side of the mid court line) focused, quick, a team that took the "Convo Factor" out of the equation by getting to the rim - 5 of their first 6 baskets were "at the rim" not from the perimeter ... defensively the Cavs (if that's who they really were) were the aggressor - getting to the loose balls, forcing Athens turnovers , this team was so unlike any Cavs team in any game this season...
the scoreboard showed Chillicothe 27 Athens 14 at intermission ... Zack Johnson for Chillicothe put up 16 points on his own ball in half #1 ...
Zach Johnson 16 Athens 14 at the half ... half time allows coaches to make "changes"/"adjustments", I'm thinking' Coach Skinner will be bottling his half time "pep talk" - what a difference a half makes ... Athens hit the floor running/upping the defensive pressure, turned up the tempo of the offense - Ibi Watson kick started the AHS "O" with a big 3 ball in Athen's first possession, Athens began taking the ball to the rim - Burrow/Saltzman/Watson put the Bulldog offense on their backs for 14 points ... Athens picked up the pressure defensively forcing 8 Cav turnovers in the 3rd, limiting Chillicothe to 7 points in the 3rd ... shutting out Zach Johnson ...
Johnson 16 Athens 28 ... Athens 28 Chillicothe 34 after three ... the 4th and final quarter was all Athens - 31 points in the qtr. ... 12/13 from the FT Line ... Burrow/Watson/Saltzman took over ... that's a sophomore and 2 freshmen taking over the game inside and out in the 4th ( Burrow 8 pts/Watson 13 pts/Saltzman 7 pts ... throw in the "old man" Jared Elmore picking up the go ahead bucket at the 4:46 mark of the 4th
Athens 40 Cavs 39 ... scoring went back and forth Athens took a 47-46 lead with the ball ... 2:10 left in the game ... Zach Johnson with a steal at mid court ... nothing but open court to the rim and a Cavs lead, Johnson elevated for the dunk ............ didn't happen, a dunk that wasn't a dunk - ended up a TO - Athens ball ... Athens finds Zacchia Saltzman in the left corner for the 3 ... a 5 point swing on the "not dunk" + Saltzman trey ... Athens got the separation they needed 50-46 ... the beginning of the end for CHS as the Cavs were forced to foul, Athens responded with Watson going 7/7 from the line,Saltzman 4/4 from the line overall 12/13 in the 4th period for the Bulldogs ... game, set and match as Athens gets the "W" 59-49 to advance to take on Miami Trace next Thursday night for a District Championship ...
Pfloyd Napkin Stats -Chillicothe
Scoring : Zach Johnson 25,Nate Rosenbaurer 7, Adam Bixler 6, Tommy Bolte 5, Nolan Taylor 4, Tim Beard 2
3 Pointers : 6/19 ... Johnson 4, Rosenbaurer 1, Bolte 1
FT's : 1/1
TO's : 20
Pfloyd Napkin Stats - Athens
Scoring : Ibi Watson 20, Zaccia Saltzman 13, Joey Burrow 12, Jared Elmore 9, Ryan Luehrman 3, Adam Luehrman 2
3 Pointers : 4/11 ... Burrow 2, Watson 1, Saltzman 1
FTs : 15/19 ... 12/13 in the 4th period
TO : 16
