The Tiger boys keep making school history as the wins keep mounting. They won their 23rd game with their 67-49 victory over Mercer Saturday afternoon, matching their win total from the 1982-1983 season, when they won 23 and the Regional Tournament. They won back to back district titles for the first time in school history, and they matched a school record, set in 1965-66 and 1982-83 with three tournament titles. The boys and girls won their first tournament together in the same year in school history; they had played together in a tournament title game three times before, but had never won one together.
This game followed the script of the South Harrison game. The Tigers were in trouble in the first half, only for them to fight back and take the lead before half. Against South Harrison, Mason the Hawk hit an improbable 3-pointer with a purple shirt in his face to tie it up at the halftime buzzer after the Tigers had been outplayed during the half; the Tigers held South Harrison scoreless in the fourth quarter and won by 14. In the Mercer game, something similar happened; Mercer was hitting everything, but Worth County had somehow fought back to take the lead. Finally, Drake Kinsella hit a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer with two defenders in his face to put Worth County up 33-29. The Tigers held Mercer to 20 points in the second half and pulled away for the win.
Mercer started off against the Tigers the way they had against Pattonsburg – by knocking down two quick three-pointers to take the lead. No matter what Worth County did, the Cardinals kept right on hitting, getting two each from Hunter Shipley and Porter Grey to make it 15-11 after one. Jonathan Johnson hit one in the second to make it 20-14 and then Hunter Shipley scored to make it 22-16 in the second.
But from there on out, Worth County began making use of its height, getting the ball inside at will, getting putbacks, and getting enough production from Ryan McClellan to start clicking. Drake Kinsella scored from inside, Mason Hawk got a putback, and Ryan McClellan jumped a pass and turned it into a three point play to put Worth County in front for the first time at 23-22.
Mercer kept hanging around, keeping it at 30-29 on Camden Hartley’s two free throws, but then Drake Kinsella’s guarded three at the buzzer put Worth County back up four at 33-29.
Hunter Shipley struck again for Mercer to make it 33-32 to start the third, but then Drake Kinsella got loose inside and Tevin Cameron, who had broken Mercer’s backs last year in North Harrison, got going, scoring off a Mason Hawk save and hitting a triple from the left wing to make it 40-32.
Camden Hartley scored off a drive, but then Worth County started getting steals in the third, starting with one from Mason the Hawk to force Mercer to burn its first timeout. It didn’t help matters as Drake Kinsella hit Mason Hawk inside, Ryan McClellan scored off a steal, Drake Kinsella scored a free throw off another, and Drake hit two more free throws and drew Shipley’s fourth foul to make it 49-34.
Drake Kinsella picked up his fourth foul with 39 seconds left in the third and Hartley’s free throws made it 49-36 after three. Mercer was capable of scoring a bunch of points in a hurry, and they put on a press to start the fourth quarter. But it didn’t matter as Ryan McClellan hit Cade Allee for three, Mason the Hawk got a monster stuff, and Caleb Parman hit a baseline shot off a Cade Allee drive to make it 18 at 54-36.
Hartley scored off a drive with 5:14 left to make it 54-38, but then Drake Kinsella got a putback and Ryan McClellan added free throws with 4:04 left to give Worth County its biggest lead of the game at 60-40. Mercer never got closer than 15 the rest of the way.
Worth County took care of the ball with only 11 turnovers, only gave up four Mercer offensive boards, limited their transition opportunities, and shot 14 for 18 from the line. NEN and North Harrison could not slow down the Mercer transition game, but against Worth County, Mercer could get no transition points, forcing them to work against five players most of the night.
The Tigers got four in double figures, led by Drake Kinsella with 20 points. Tevin Cameron, who had a big night against Mercer last year in the district championship game, did so again Saturday with a season-high 13. Cade Allee had 12, Mason Hawk 11, Ryan McClellan 9, and Caleb Parman 2.
Mason Hawk had 3 blocks for the Tigers.
Mason the Hawk had 11 boards for Worth County. Drake Kinsella had 8, Cade Allee 4, Caleb Parman 3, Tevin Cameron 2, and Jaxon Anderson 1.
Tevin Cameron and Mason Hawk had 4 assists. Cade Allee and Ryan McClellan had 2 each, while Caleb Parman, Drake Kinsella, and Jaxon Anderson had 1.
Ryan McClellan had 3 tips for the Tigers. Tevin Cameron, Mason Hawk, and Jacob New had 2, while Drake Kinsella, Cade Allee, and Wayde Parman had 1.
Mason Hawk had 5 steals, while Cade Allee had 3, Ryan McClellan 2, and Tevin Cameron and Drake Kinsella had 1 each.
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