Huge scoring run lifts Titans over Flyers for key SOC win

PORTSMOUTH — A huge scoring run, along with some tough defense in the second and third quarters proved to be the mix needed for the Notre Dame Titans to upend the Saint Joseph Flyers 63-45 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Tuesday night.

After the game, Titans coach Matt Mader felt the win was an early Christmas present for his team.

"Very happy with our performance tonight, definitely on the defensive end. You could feel the intensity, the energy that we brought tonight. We felt connected and we were unselfish."

Notre Dame had a balanced score sheet on the night, with both Archie West and Jaxon Stombock scoring 11 points. Stombock also came up big with 3 steals and 6 boards.

Garrett Barbarits had a team-high 12 points and 3 assists. Zion Boerger and Kenady McGraw each a 9 apiece, and Bryce McGraw chipped in 6 points and 4 rebounds.

One stat that wasn't on the scoresheet was the task given to West. Which was applying pressure and shutting down the Flyers outside shooters.

"Last game versus Oak Hill, we had no energy and we knew coming into the game they beat them." said West "So, we had to put a lot of pressure on them and man up. And we did tonight and the score says it."

However the Flyers came out with plenty of energy on offense in the first, shooting 50-percent from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the foul line.

Carson Willis netted 10 points down in the pivot for the Flyers, including a jumper near the foul line and ball made a couple trips around the cylinder a few times before falling in.

Willis tied the game at 16-all on a jumper with 8 seconds showing on the clock.

West took a dribble off the inbounds pass and then heaved a shot from nearly 60 feet and banked in his lone 3-pointer of the night to give the Titans a 19-16 advantage after one.

"My bud Sawyer did it versus New Boston and I did it today," West said with a grin. "So I guess we need to try and get a few more to do it."

The shot did more than give the Titans the lead, it sparked a 22-2 run that put the game well in hand and out of reach of Saint Joseph making any comeback attempt.

The run was highlighted by a steal by Boerger's and his drive for a score and Barbraits drive to the hoop for a layup.

And while the Titans' offense was doing its part during the run, their defense was able to turn it on during the second and limit the Flyers scoring chances. The Titans forced 8 turnovers, got 3 steals and limited the Flyers to just one offensive rebound in the quarter.

"(Waginger) and (Whaley), those two guys can really shoot the basketball. But we were able to extend them out and not let them catch it where they wanted to," said Mader. "(Willis) hurt inside early and got us in a little foul trouble. But we were able to dig down on him and do just enough to slow him down."

When West drew a foul on a scoring drive down low and completed the old-fashioned 3-point play, the Titans had ballooned their lead out to 38-18 with 3:02. remaining in the half.

The Flyers were able to end the run on a jumper by Willis in the closing seconds of the half.

In the third, the scoring slowed down for both teams, but the Titans still managed to outscore the Flyers 9-6.

During the stanza, Notre Dame (5-2, 2-0 SOC I) pushed the lead out to their largest of the night when West drove and then kicked the ball out to Barbarits in the corner for a triple to make it 45-24 at the 4:55 mark of the third.

In the fourth, the Flyers (1-4, 0-1) were able to get their offense clicking with Willis scoring 6 points in the paint and Jack Whaley scored a pair of layups. Eli Whaley hit a pair of 3-pointers and Beckham Waginger hit from downtown as well.

But the Titans kept their double digit lead the whole way through, which was highlighted by a drive by Boreger and the senior laid in a basket off a spin-o-rama in the lane.

The loss overshadowed a big night for Willis, who finished with a game-high 19 points, 4 rebounds and a steal. Beckham Waginger was next with 9 points, 2 assists and a blocked shot.

Saint Joseph 16 4 6 19  =  45

Notre Dame 19 19 9 16  =  63

SAINT JOSEPH (1-4, 0-1): Eli Whaley 0 2 0-0 6, Barrett Waginger 1 0 0-0 2, Beckham Waginger 1 1 4-4 9, Zane Dressel 1 0 1-2 3, Carson Willis 8 0 3-4 19, Jack Whaley 2 0 0-0 4, Gus Listerman 0 0 0-0 0, Mason Weber 0 0 0-0 0, Jon Sharp 0 0 0-0 0, Evan Aldridge 0 0 0-0 0, Carter Johnson 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 114 3 8-10 45. Rebounds: (O-7, D-8) 15. (Waginger 4, Willis 4). Assists: 6 (Dressel 2, Ba. Waginger 2, Be. Waginger 2). Steals: 8 (Ba. Waginger 4). Blocks: 2 (Johnson, Be. Waginger). Fouls 12 Fouled out: None.

NOTRE DAME (5-2, 2-0): Archie West 3 1 2-3 11, Garrett Barbarits 5 0 2-2 12, Bryce McGraw 1 1 1-1 6, Zion Boerger 3 0 1-2 7, Kenady McGraw 0 3 0-0 9, Sawyer Rutman 0 1 0-0 3, Mason Mershon 0 0 0-0 0, Luke Hamilton 1 0 0-0 2, Keagan Fowler 0 0 0-0 0, Eric Montgomery 0 0 0-0 0, Owen Newman 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 6 7-10 63. Rebounds: (O-8, D-15) 23. (Stombock 6, B. McGraw 4, Boerger 3, Fowler 3, Kingery 3). Assists: 8 (Barbarits 3). Steals: 10 (Stombock 3, Rutman 3, McGraw 2). Blocks: 3 (Barbarits 2, Kingery). Fouls 16. Fouled out: Boerger (4th, 1:50).