#2 McClain Tigers vs #7 Washington Blue Lions District Semifinal 2/26

[FACSPORTS]

I know that the Waverly vs Warren game is a big one that i truly could see going either way, but man is this FAC matchup huge! I plan to head to Southeastern for Waverly/Warren, then LE/Jackson, and then WCH/McClain. McClain is 2-0 against the Blue Lions this season, and both matchups were highly competitive into the final minute of action. WCH has one of the most electrifying players in SE Ohio in Reico Colter, I've been able to watch him 4 times this season and boy is he special, getting it done at both ends of the floor. With that being said, I do think the Tigers make it 3-0 on Saturday night. In my opinion the senior experience and leadership of Badgley, Toney & Co will be too much for WCH. I think that this will be the most attended game on Saturday in the SE district. I can see some of the Miami Trace/Hillsboro faithful coming out to watch their FAC foes go at it, along with other Basketball Junkies and the communities of WCH and McClain. I say McClain wins 62-60 in a tightly contested, very intense matchup on a Badgley bucket with less than 5 seconds to go. Best of luck to both teams, cannot wait for this one!

[Ironman92]

Washington has to be the more disciplined than McClain to win. If a team loses composure….it can’t be Washington and win.

Washington has every needed skill to win.

[soggybottomtopper]

I know that the Waverly vs Warren game is a big one that i truly could see going either way, but man is this FAC matchup huge! I plan to head to Southeastern for Waverly/Warren, then LE/Jackson, and then WCH/McClain. McClain is 2-0 against the Blue Lions this season, and both matchups were highly competitive into the final minute of action. WCH has one of the most electrifying players in SE Ohio in Reico Colter, I've been able to watch him 4 times this season and boy is he special, getting it done at both ends of the floor. With that being said, I do think the Tigers make it 3-0 on Saturday night. In my opinion the senior experience and leadership of Badgley, Toney & Co will be too much for WCH. I think that this will be the most attended game on Saturday in the SE district. I can see some of the Miami Trace/Hillsboro faithful coming out to watch their FAC foes go at it, along with other Basketball Junkies and the communities of WCH and McClain. I say McClain wins 62-60 in a tightly contested, very intense matchup on a Badgley bucket with less than 5 seconds to go. Best of luck to both teams, cannot wait for this one!

Heading up for this one. Should be an incredible atmosphere. A couple of parents from Washington think it will be a sell out crowd. Is McClain completely healthy now? I know Badgley had an ankle issue earlier. I have only got to see them a couple times, but the discipline of McClain plays huge in this one in my opinion. Colter's ball pressure could be a game changer as well. We all know that a 3rd win in one season is tough. I have McClain in a very close one, but that is if McClain doesn't get sped up by Colter. This is what tourney basketball is all about.

[FACSPORTS]

Game absolutely lived up to the hype! Came down to the wire. WCH lost their composure in the last couple minutes and I believe that cost them the game. Very intense game from start to finish!

[60ft]

The Refs should never T-up Court house boys or the Greenfield boy. This game wasn’t a physical like the regular season games. This is a district game. Just for a little trash talking.

[Ironman92]

Game absolutely lived up to the hype! Came down to the wire. WCH lost their composure in the last couple minutes and I believe that cost them the game. Very intense game from start to finish!

That was my guess.

Surprised it was that high scoring

[TrueFan]

As has been the case for years with Washington; teams can't keep their composure and it cost them the game. Despite Colter's T minutes earlier, Washington had fought back and was only down 2 when Lemaster picked up his 4th foul, then earned the T on top of it. McClain was heading to the line for 2, and then you made it 4 and the ball. Rather Lemaster was right or not, don't put the official in that position, especially when they just T'd up Colter minutes prior. That trip cost Washington 6 points and sent Lemaster to the bench with just over 2 minutes left.

Really would have liked to see how the game ended had Washington been able to keep their composure. Both T's for Washington and the T for Saunders all came in the final 3 1/2 minutes.

[McClainTigerfan]

Another instant classic from these two squads!! What a great atmosphere!!!

[TrueFan]

After review....with a game of this magnitude...pretty thin skin for the officials. WEAK technicals called on Colter and Lemaster late in the game. Colter looks at the official for a few seconds...then walks away....and then gets T'd up. Lemaster yells "that was all ball" then gets T'd up for his 5th foul.

I still say, you can't put the officials in that position, but pretty weak that late in the game in a game of this magnitude. Neither player directed anything toward the opposition. Officials needed to have a little thicker skin.

[baseball16]

After review....with a game of this magnitude...pretty thin skin for the officials. WEAK technicals called on Colter and Lemaster late in the game. Colter looks at the official for a few seconds...then walks away....and then gets T'd up. Lemaster yells "that was all ball" then gets T'd up for this 5th foul.

I still say, you can't put the officials in that position, but pretty weak that late in the game in a game of this magnitude. Neither player directed anything toward the opposition. Officials needed to have a little thicker skin.

OR.... Don't SAY Anything to the officials.

[Tigerhawk123]

Run your mouth or show up an official - you deserve to get lit up. Apparently, some of the experts on this thread think players should be able to do that the entire game without consequence. Where does it stop? If coaches aren't going to control their players unfortunately the officials will.

[TrueFan]

I for one never said that, and in fact twice said you can't put the officials in that position. However, the refs dictate how things are going to go in a game. Coach Bartruff said he was told from the officials the T's were for "he looked at me" and "he said that was all ball". Pretty weak in the final 3 minutes.

And if that's the case, "run your mouth or show up an official - you deserve to get lit up", then Joe B. Stewart should be tossed in every game he coaches. He's constantly "running his mouth or showing up the officials".

[Treyman3]

Big difference between a coach and a player talking to an official. Pretty sure the T's were the result of constant talking from the players throughout the game. I' m not a big fan of T's in tournament games for stuff like this either but officials are only going to listen to so much.

[bman]

What a fantastic atmosphere for high school basketball. Both communities should be commended and both teams played really hard.

If it's true that a technical was called on a kid for how he looked at an official, that's a pretty thin skin by that official. I like the officials who warn a kid to knock off the talking before issuing a technical, unless it's a four-letter word, then it should be an immediate technical. The coach is the only person who should be talking to the official at the end of the day.