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Marietta rolling: Balanced Tigers best Zanesville, 80-67

JORDAN HOLLAND The Marietta Times Marietta’s Gage Herb (1) brings the ball up the court as Zanesville’s Aronde’ Myers (23) and Clayton Foreman (22) defend during a high school boys basketball game Friday night at Sutton Gym.

Once the Tigers got rolling, there was no slowing them down.

Marietta fell behind to visiting Zanesville 19-14 after a quarter Friday night at Sutton Gym, but the Tigers (12-9, 8-5 East Central Ohio League) outscored the Blue Devils (11-11, 6-7 ECOL) 49-27 over the next two quarters and went on to win 80-67 in what was the senior class’ final game on their home floor.

“This game meant a lot,” said MHS senior Turner Hill, who finished with 16 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists. “It’s kind of sad it’s the last game, but getting the last win against Zanesville meant a lot.”

Hill was one of five Tigers who scored in double figures. Zach Deskins led the way with 19 points, Trent Dawson added 14 points while Isaac Danford and Travis Moore tacked on 10 apiece. After winning four ECOL games each of the last two seasons, the Tigers doubled that total this season.

Marietta head coach Glenn Dawson said his team had emotions running high early on but eventually calmed down.

JORDAN HOLLAND The Marietta Times Marietta’s Trent Dawson (22) goes up for a jump shot as Zanesville’s Aronde’ Myers (23) defends during a high school boys basketball game Friday night at Sutton Gymnasium. Marietta won, 80-67.

“The kids settled down a little bit (in the second quarter),” he said. “We were coming out of a pretty emotional night for the kids being the last day in their gym, and having Veterans Night and honoring the veterans. Once we settled down we got back to playing basketball the way we’ve been playing. We’re playing really well right now. The team’s playing together and we’ve got good, balanced scoring. We’re pushing the ball and we’re playing good halfcourt man defense.”

Zanesville’s Aronde’ Myers finished with a game-high 27 points and eight rebounds. He and teammate Cameron Brooks-Harris combined for 13 of the Devils’ 19 points in the opening stanza to give them an early lead. Brooks-Harris left the game late in the first quarter with an ankle injury.

Down 26-25 at the 5:50 mark in the second quarter, Marietta scored eight straight points, with five coming from Hill, and the Tigers never trailed again. A jumper from Jermaine Burke at the 1:45 mark increased the lead to eight, 38-30, and later Gage Herb’s 3-pointer stretched it to 10, 43-33, going into halftime.

“That’s good when we play like that because everyone’s scoring and they can’t shut down one guy,” Hill said. “Just got a bunch of options to go to.”

Coach Dawson added, “It makes us tough to guard. Each one of them is capable of getting the ball in the hoop. Now, they’re starting to figure it out, they’re playing together, playing hard, rotating right on defense and we’re getting it done.”

Brandon Neville’s putback and Trent Dawson’s layup made it 47-33 early in the third, and later Deskins’ drive and bucket bulged the lead to 16, 51-35. MHS’ largest lead of the game was 19, thanks to Hill’s jumper midway through the fourth quarter.

The Tigers finished 31 for 50 (59 percent) from the floor in the contest.

“We got the ball out and got some fastbreaks and some open layups,” Hill noted.

The Tigers also outrebounded Zanesville 30-20 in the game, with Danford grabbing a team-high six boards.

“We knew coming in if we could own the boards it would give us a shot for some second-attempt putbacks and we certainly got the job done on the boards tonight,” Glenn Dawson said.

For Zanesville, Cobe Curry was the only player to join Myers in double figures with 12 points. Clayton Foreman notched a game-high five assists for the Blue Devils, who finished 22 for 48 (46 percent) from the floor.

The Tigers have one last regular season game Saturday when they visit Athens. They’ll then turn their attention to the sectional tournament, which opens Wednesday against New Lexington at Logan High School. With a win, Marietta would advance to play top-seeded and state-ranked Vinton County Saturday.

“We’re playing a lot harder and I think we can get something rolling going into the tournament,” Hill said.

Coach Dawson added, “It was about two weeks ago I saw it looked like a switch turned on and these kids started playing together. Couldn’t be a better time than right now.”

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