COLUMBUS (AP) — The Columbiana girls, No. 3 in The Associated Press Division III poll, ran their record to 22-0 with three wins last week, the first of which was the hardest.
Columbiana beat visiting Lisbon David Anderson 98-97 in double overtime on Jan. 30 on the way to a fourth straight Inter-Tri County League title. David Anderson had a double-figure lead for much of regulation and led by nine, 82-73, with 68 seconds to play. The fourth quarter took 37 minutes as the teams combined for 47 free throws.
Junior Alexis Cross led Columbiana with a career-high 37 points, including a three-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game at 83-83 at the end of regulation. Freshman Kayla Muslovski added 28 points and five steals.
For David Anderson, Karlee Pezzano had 35 points, eight assists and seven steals along with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 90-90 at the end of the first overtime. Teammate Mackenzie Mason added 22 points and 17 rebounds.
That wasn’t even the longest game last week in girls basketball. Antwerp and Convoy Crestview were tied 20-20 at the half and 35-35 after regulation. It was still knotted at 41 after one overtime and 45-45 after two overtimes before Antwerp prevailed 49-47 in the third OT on Jan. 31.
TIMELY SHOTS
Jaylen Martinez hit a 75-foot shot to close out the first half and Mikey McGuire made jump shot with 25 seconds left in the game to lift Defiance Ayersville past Haviland Wayne Trace 50-49. Ethan Schlachter had 16 rebounds for Ayersville (16-0), the top-ranked in Division IV. Wayne Trace (16-2) is seventh in Division III.
BIG MAC
The McDonald Blue Devils, 17-1 and No. 2 in boys Division IV, scored more than 100 points for the fourth time this season. The Blue Devils beat their rival, the Mineral Ridge Rams, 131-65 last Friday. Freshman Zach Rasile matched his earlier personal best with 11 3-pointers and finished with 34 points. He is the son of Blue Devils’ coach Jeff Rasile. This is the second time McDonald has beat the Rams with a triple-figure score. The Blue Devils won 111-60 on Dec. 23. McDonald also scored 123 against Columbiana and 105 vs. Columbiana Crestview this season. After Friday’s game, McDonald averages 89.6 points per game.
NOTABLE
Louisville’s Chris Libertore scored a school-record 51 points on the same night he eclipsed 1,000 career points in the Leopards’ 79-62 win over Alliance Marlington on Friday. The previous record of 49 points in a game was set by Bart Kaiser in 1971. . Hanoverton United senior Jake Clark scored a career-high 36 points as he became the school’s all-time leading scorer in a 91-62 win over East Palestine on Friday. Clark, who scored 25 points in the first half, has been the Eagles’ leading scorer all four seasons and has 1,302 career points. . Salem senior Chloe Cheresne scored a school-record 38 points along with 10 rebounds, five blocks and three assists in an 86-18 win over Alliance on Wednesday. . In Division II girls, fifth-ranked Beloit West Branch (18-2) has won 16 straight games. . Ottawa-Glandorf’s one-two punch of Kadie Hempfling and Kylie White sparkled in a 60-49 win over Kenton. Hempfling had 27 points and eight rebounds and White 19 points and 11 boards. O-G (18-0) is first in Division II.
The Coldwater girls basketball program won its 600th game in school history on Feb. 2 in a 60-37 win over New Bremen. . Napoleon senior Bret Lauf hit 45 points in a loss to Sylvania Southview 73-68. . Ottawa-Glandorf (16-2) and Wapakoneta (17-1), fifth and eighth, respectively, in the boys Division II poll, meet Friday for first place in the Western Buckeye League, where each is 6-0. . The Brecksville-Broadview Heights boys scored their 1,000th program win Friday in a 66-56 victory on Friday against Nordonia. . Cleveland East Tech won its fourth straight Senate League tournament championship Friday behind 41 points from senior guard Isaiah Washington.