Gilman City’s boys met their match Saturday in the Gilman City Tournament title game against Princeton, but they rallied and cut their deficit to five before finally falling 56-44. They got positive comments about their play about their effort and sportsmanship following the game. Clay Evans hung 29 points on the Hawks, and that proved to be too much for them.
The Hawks dug themselves into a hole to start the game as Evans scored off a drive and Hunter Lowery scored from inside. They countered with a cut inside from Bo Eads after Landon Preston drove down the left baseline and then Preston added a 3-pointer to make it 5-4.
But the rest of the quarter belonged to Princeton as Gilman City had no tips and no steals until late in the period as Evans went off. He scored eight points, including two 3-pointers, to put the Blue Tigers up 15-5 before Parker Virtue got on the board for the Hawks to cut it to 15-7.
Landon Preston scored four straight to start the second quarter to cut the Hawk deficit to 15-11 and Camden Griffith kept it close for a while. The Hawk deficit was 19-15 at the 4:25 left, but then Princeton’s size took over for the rest of the half, dominating the boards as they took a 31-17 lead.
It looked like Princeton would walk away with the title easily, as they were getting all the calls and their size in Kash Holt and Hunter Lowery meant that Gilman City had to leave Evans open. They enjoyed a 24-12 rebounding advantage at the half. But the Hawks came out in a press to start the second half, and they were swarming, pressing, and trapping, and they rebounded much better in the second half, getting their rebounding deficit down to –5 by the end of the game.
Kenyon Puls got on the board, then Landon Preston hit a 3-pointer, Camden Griffith hit a free throw, and Landon Preston hit a baseline shot to cut the Hawk deficit to 36-25. Lowery and Evans both hit down the third quarter stretch for Princeton, but Parker Virtue got a shot down over the much taller Holt, and the Hawks had their deficit down to 40-30 by the end of the third.
Dakota Meringa scored from inside to start the fourth quarter and Kenyon Puls hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to cut it to 42-35. Dakota Meringa, who had been a spark off the bench for the Hawks in the half, picked up his fourth foul and a basket from Holt and a free throw from Evans built the Princeton lead back up to 45-35 at the 3:37 mark.
But then Noel Schreffler, Princeton’s best ball handler, picked up his fourth foul and Gilman City started coming back again. Camden Griffith hit a free throw and then stole the ensuing inbounds pass to make it 45-38 with 3:06 left. Schreffler came back and hit two free throws to make it 47-38, but Parker Virtue grabbed an offensive board and hit a free throw and then Camden Griffith got a steal after Dakota Meringa got a tip and fed Landon Preston for three to make it 47-42.
Evans countered with a free throw with 1:46 left. Jace Estrada hit a free throw with 1:19 left to make it 48-43, but then Gilman City overextended itself trying to get the ball back and Evans got loose on the other end to make it 50-43. Princeton got a stop and Gilman City had to start fouling, and the Blue Tigers were 6 for 6 from the line in the last 57 seconds.
Landon Preston had 15 points. Camden Griffith had 13, Kenyon Puls 6, Parker Virtue 5, Bo Eads and Dakota Meringa 2 each, and Jace Estrade 1.
Camden Griffith had 1 block.
Jace Estrada had 8 boards. Camden Griffith had 7, Kenyon Puls 6, Parker Virtue and Landon Preston 3, and Dakota Meringa 2.
Landon Preston had 7 assists. Camden Griffith and Dakota Meringa had 2, and Bo Eads, Parker Virtue, Kenyon Puls, and Jace Estrada had 1.
Dakota Meringa and Camden Griffith had 4 tips. Parker Virtue, Kenyon Puls, and Landon Preston had 2 each, and Jace Estrada 1.
Landon Preston and Camden Griffith had 3 steals each. Kenyon Puls and Dakota Meringa had 1.
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Bo Eads is the grandson of Dirk Groom of Grant City.
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