ATHENS – Holding the Portsmouth Clay Panthers to 20 points below their scoring average was a feather in the defensive cap of the Green Bobcats.

Thursday, March 08, 2001

ATHENS – Holding the Portsmouth Clay Panthers to 20 points below their scoring average was a feather in the defensive cap of the Green Bobcats.

The problem for Green was on the offensive end.

Green couldn’t find its shooting cap Wednesday night, making just 19-of-52 field goal attempts for 36.5 percent. The result was a 61-56 overtime loss to Clay in the Division IV district semifinals.

"We did a very good job on Clay defensively. We got done what we wanted, we just didn’t get enough balls in the basket," Green coach Kevin Lewis said. "The defense kept us in it and gave us a chance to win it."

Clay’s big three were held in check. Travis Kielmor had 13 points, three below his average, Robbie Huff had just four points, nearly 12 below his average, and Jake Davis scored 11 points – six from the foul line – as he fell four under his average.

However, Andrew Large scored 12 points and Jeff Duduit came off the bench to get 10 for the Panthers (17-5) who play Reedsville Eastern Saturday for the district title.

Joe Salyers had 16 points to pace Green. Alex Poe had 15 points and nine rebounds, and Brad Bainer 11 points and six rebounds.

Green was down 16-8 at the end of the first quarter and trailed 22-11 with 5:24 left in the half when Huff hit a baseline jumper.

Ben Dyer hit a 3-pointer to start a 9-0 run, Bainer had a layup, and Poe sank two foul shots and then made a layup with 1:40 on the clock to get Green within 22-20.

Huff followed up a missed shot and then Duduit came up with a steal and fed Caleb Payne for a layup to make it 26-20 at the half.

The Bobcats were a meager 6-of-24 from the floor the first half.

"We had it down to two and then we were down six at the half and we felt we had a real good chance. I’m real pleased with our effort. It seemed like we were battling uphill all night," said Lewis.

Salyers caught fire the third quarter and scored 12 of his points.

He hit a 17-footer, a 3-pointer, and a layup at the 2:28 mark to put Green up 33-32. He followed with a steal and was fouled, sank the two free throws and it was 35-32.

A putback by Jacob Yarnell with 1:36 left in the quarter put Green up 38-34, but Clay came back to go up 40-38 on an 18-footer by Duduit.

Kyle Dyer’s layup with 17 seconds left tied the game heading into the fourth quarter.

"Salyers gave us a big spark. He hit some shots outside, then took the ball inside a couple of times. He had a super quarter," said Lewis.

The lead changed hands four times the fourth quarter. Ben Dyer hit a 3-pointer with 1:19 left in regulation to put Green up 50-48.

Clay missed a 3-point attempt but the ball was partially touched before it went out of bounds and the Panthers had the ball back. Kielmor was fouled and sank both shots with 47 seconds left and it was tied at 50-50.

Green played for a final shot, but the ball was knocked loose and time ran out as the two teams scrambled for the ball.

"All year we’ve been a good team scoring at the end of a half or quarter. We just couldn’t get in the offensive set to get the shot we wanted. You have to give some of the credit to Clay. That was a big key in the game," said Lewis.

"Then in overtime it seemed like everything bounced their way."

Kielmor tipped in a missed shot and Davis picked up a loose ball and hit a 15-footer in the confusion to stake Clay to a 54-50 lead.

Bainer’s foul shot and Poe’s layup made it 54-53, but Kielmor converted a 3-point play and Duduit sank to foul shots with 31 seconds to go and it was 59-53.

Poe’s 3-pointer gave Green some hope, but Davis connected on two free throws with 18 seconds to play to seal the win.

The game brought an end to the careers of the team’s three seniors, Poe, Kyle Dyer, and Jesse Ferrell.

"I’m real proud of our three seniors," said Lewis. "Jesse Ferrell didn’t play as much, but he gave us everything he had in practice. And I can’t say enough about Kyle Dyer and Alex Poe. They played hard and gave us great leadership."