A Chilli reception

Tigers fall

By Ron Johnston, rjohnston@mariettatimes.com
ATHENS — Chillicothe High was like an avalanche, burying Marietta High, 77-47, in an Ohio District II semifinal boys’ basketball game at the Ohio University Convocation Center Thursday night.

No. 2-ranked CHS started off the game with a 12-0 run and never looked back. Sparked by Stuart Beverly’s 10 first-quarter points, the Gary Kellough-coached Cavaliers staked themselves to a 25-6 advantage.

All five Chillicothe starters achieved double figures with Ray Chambers notching 16 points to lead the scoring parade.

Caleb Knights, Anthony Hitchens, and Beverly added 14 markers apiece, while Seth Dawes netted 11.

Anthony Tabler tallied a game-high 18 points, including four treys, to lead the J.D. Secrest-coached Tigers. Zach Arnold chipped in with eight markers.

Earlier this season (Jan. 11), Chillicothe — now the owner of a 20-2 record — defeated Marietta, 63-51, at Sutton Gymnasium. The Cavaliers’ only setbacks this season were to Brookhaven and Division I Zanesville, the Southeastern Ohio Athletic League title champion.

MHS exits with a 7-15 record, including a 56-47 sectional final triumph over Sheridan at Wellston High a week ago. Playing in their final varsity game in the orange and black uniform were seniors’ Cole Biehl, Christian Hudspeth, Dustin Huck, and Clayton Matheny.

After a slow start, Marietta bounced back in the second quarter, but still trailed at halftime, 42-18. Leading the Tigers during the second eight minutes of play was Tabler, who scored eight points.

But after the break, there was no let-up from the uptempo-playing Cavaliers, who ran off nine unanswered points to make it 51-18. During that stretch, the Tigers had difficulty getting the ball into the front court.

With 4:10 left in the fourth quarter and the contest all but decided, the Chillicothe starters took a seat, and the reserves helped the team cruise home with the victory.

The Cavaliers will now face Logan Elm, a 51-32 winner over Warren Thursday, in next Friday’s (Feb. 29) district final at the OU Convocation Center.

at OU Convocation Center

Ohio Division II

District Semifinal

Chillicothe 77, Marietta 47

Marietta 6 12 14 15 — 47

Chillicothe 25 17 22 13 — 77

MARIETTA (7-15)

Evan Brockmeier 1 1-2 3, Cole Biehl 1 4-6 6, Anthony Tabler 7 0-0 18, Zane Eschbaugh 0 2-2 2, Zach Arnold 4 0-1 8, Christian Hudspeth 1 2-3 5, Clayton Matheny 0 0-0 0, Connor Hess 0 1-2 1, Dustin Huck 2 0-0 4, Morgan Wynn 0 0-0 0. 3-point goals: Tabler 4, Hudspeth 1. TOTALS: 16 10-16 47.

No. 2 CHILLICOTHE (20-2)

Stuart Beverly 5 1-2 14, Caleb Knights 6 1-1 14, Anthony Hitchens 6 2-3 14, Seth Dawes 5 0-1 11, Ray Chambers 6 4-5 16, Ron Smith 2 0-0 4, Jordan Benson 0 0-0 0, Mike Newman 1 0-0 2, Nathan Woodworth 1 0-0 2. 3-point goals: Beverly 3, Dawes 1, Knights 1; TOTALS: 32 8-12 77.