Tigers fall to Gallia Academy in sectional semifinals
The 2023-24 season came to a close on Saturday afternoon for the McClain Tigers, falling in their Division II SE District Sectional Semifinal game at Gallia Academy, losing to the host Blue Devils, 38-32.
McClain trailed 7-6 at the conclusion of the first quarter, an eight-minute quarter where Seth Weller scored four points and Jayden Allison finished the frame with two points.
In the first frame, McClain trailed 3-0 until Allison scored the Tigers’ first points of the game with 3:57 left in the frame. From there, MHS took a lead when Weller scored two points on a layup with 3:05 on the clock for a 4-3 lead.
After Gallia Academy regained the lead with 1:59 on the clock, it was Weller putting McClain back in front with a basket at the 51-second mark of the quarter for a 6-5 lead. GAHS regained the lead with 40 seconds left in the first for the one-point lead at 7-6.
In the second, the Tigers outscored the Blue Devils, 10-9, leaving the score all tied at 16 at halftime.
GAHS scored first to take a three-point lead, but with 3:51 left it was a 3-pointer from Weller that tied the score at 9-9. MHS didn’t keep the lead long following two points by GAHS, but the took it right back with a 3-pointer from the corner of the court from Jordan Bell, taking the Tigers into the lead at 12-11.
The teams exchanged free throw trips, with Weller making two at the 1:48 mark of the second and putting the Tigers ahead at 14-12. GAHS tied the score at 14 points each with a jumper, and Andrew Potts gave McClain a 16-14 lead with points in the paint with 26 seconds left in the first half.
Two points by the Blue Devils at the buzzer left the score tied at 16 after two quarters.
Gallia Academy started the third frame with four straight points for a 20-16 lead with 7:01 left in the third, but MHS tied the score at 20 points each with a free throw made by Weller, plus a 3-pointer sank by Michael Noszka Jr. with 2:48 left in the third. Gallia Academy regained the lead with 50 seconds on the third-quarter clock for a 24-22 lead that held up through the end of the third frame.
In the fourth quarter, the Blue Devils built a six-point lead with 5:41 remaining in regulation, and a free throw by Noszka brought MHS to within five points of the Blue Devils. That lead eventually went to seven points and back to five points on a couple occasions with GAHS eventually holding just a two-point lead following free throws and a steal, plus a 3-pointer, by Weller for a 32-30 lead for Gallia Academy.
With 26.4 left, Weller again brought the Tigers back to within four points as he scored a layup, as those were the final points scored by McClain. GAHS closed out the game with four free throws made on four chances, winning by six points at 38-32.
Weller led McClain with 19 points, followed by Potts and Noszka Jr. with four points each. Bell finished with three points, and totaling two points was Allison.
The loss sends MHS to a final overall record of 5-17 overall, and they were 0-10 in the Frontier Athletic Conference.
BOX SCORE
MHS 06 10 06 10 — 32
GAHS 07 09 08 14 — 38
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