Minerva’s comeback against Aviators falls short

By all metrics, it was a wacky game packed with highs and lows.

And it was one host Minerva nearly pulled off as a series of technical fouls and suddenly clutch three-point shooting enabled the Lions to nearly ground the high-flying Alliance Aviators before falling 59-48 in Eastern Buckeye Conference action.

On a night when Minerva honored its seniors, the gym was packed as the Lions hoped to upset the Aviators, a team ranked 11th in the state in Division III. Aside from winning the tip-off, the game did not start well for Minerva as the Lions committed four consecutive turnovers to kick off the first quarter, allowing Alliance to jump out to a 7-2 lead.

Minerva closed to within one, but the Aviators scored the final five points of the quarter to take a 12-6 lead into the second period. That’s when the wheels came off the Lions’ attack as Alliance outscored Minerva 20-9 to take a 32-15 lead into intermission.

In the third period, two Skyler Lab free throws enabled Minerva to cut into the Aviators’ lead, but that’s when Samuel Hays took over, nailing back-to-back treys for a 38-17 cushion.

Trailing 45-24 with four minutes remaining in the third, Rowen Hoffee, who had a relatively quiet first half, came alive with a three from the top of the key, followed by a spin move against Alliance’s JR Jackson for another bucket. Suddenly, the deficit was down to 16.

Alliance again pulled away and with 90 seconds left in the quarter, led 49-29. Then the refs called two consecutive technical fouls on Alliance players, sending Hoffee to the line. He sank three of four and the Lions kept the ball, sparking a run that saw Minerva score the last nine points of the quarter to draw to within 11 at 49-38.

Hoffee picked up where he left off, beginning the fourth quarter with a deep three and then two Tyson Fetty mid-range jumpers suddenly had Minerva – in the midst of a 16-2 run – down by only six at 51-45.

That, however, would be as close as the Lions got as the Alliance defense stiffened and Minerva coughed up the ball a few times on critical possessions as time waned on the clock.

Hoffee led Minerva (3-5) with a game-high 16 points, while Braydon Wood added nine. Alliance (15-2, 7-1), which won its seventh consecutive game, was paced by Jackson and Hays as they each scored 15 points.

With zero rest, the Lions traveled to East Canton the following day to take on the Hornets in a non conference match and came away with a 45-38 victory. Minerva relied upon balanced shooting as four Lions scored at least eight points.

The first half was touch and go as Minerva nursed a narrow 18-16 lead at halftime. The Lions finally pulled away from the Hornets in the decisive third quarter, outscoring East Canton 17-11 to open up an eight point lead and send the Hornets to their seventh consecutive loss.

Hoffee scored 10 points for Minerva (8-9), while Wood finished with nine, and Lab and Owen Shick added eight points apiece. Two players on East Canton (3-12) accounted for all the points and Owen McCroskey had 30 of them.