Cougar boys down USV on Saturday

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

HARROD — A stingy defense, combined with a first half scoring surge led the Van Wert Cougars to a 63-42 non-conference road win over Upper Scioto Valley.

Saturday’s game was a late addition to the schedule. The Cougars (1-1) were supposed to play Minster Friday night, but the game was canceled due to Minster’s run to the state football finals. USV (2-1) was set to host the McComb Panthers Saturday, but that game was canceled because of McComb’s extended football season.

Van Wert and Upper Scioto Valley opened the game by trading baskets, and the game was tied at 11 midway through the first quarter before the Cougars clamped down defensively, and went on a 14-0 scoring run. Van Wert scored the final seven points of the quarter to grab an 18-11 lead, then scored seven more unanswered points in the second quarter to lead 25-11.  The Rams stopped the scoring run with a three-pointer, but the Cougars responded with seven more points en route to a comfortable 32-16 lead, before enjoying a 35-20 halftime advantage.

“I was really pleased,” Bagley said. “We spent a lot of time this week on defense, and I thought our defensive effort was outstanding.”

“It all started with Dylan Lautzenheiser,” Bagley added. “The tips, the deflections, the steals, the offensive and defensive rebounding — Dylan is our unsung hero.”

Jacoby Kelly and Nate Place combined to score 13 of Van Wert’s 18 third-quarter points, and the defensive intensity continued as the Cougars held the Rams to 10 points in the period on the way to a 53-30 lead.

USV outscored the Cougars 12-10 in the fourth quarter.

Kelly and Place each scored 21 for Van Wert — with each also having three treys — while Lautzenheiser finished with 14, including 5 of 6 at the free throw line. Trevor Dotson led USV with 13 points, while Blaine Lowery added 11 points for the Rams

The Cougars were 22 of 52 from field goal range (42.3 percent), including 7 of 20 (35 percent) from behind the arc. Van Wert made 12 of 16 free throws (75 percent). The Rams were 16 of 42 from field goal range (38.1 percent) and made just 4 of 16 three-point attempts (25 percent). USV was 6 of 6 from the charity stripe (100 percent).

The Cougars won the rebounding battle 34-25, and forced 20 USV turnovers, while losing the ball 13 times.

Van Wert also won the junior varsity game, 46-37, with Cougar Brice Klausing leading all scorers with 15 points. Drew Oglesbee had 14 points for the Rams, while Quinn Sanders added 12 for USV.

Van Wert will open Western Buckeye League play Friday at St. Marys Memorial.

“They’re playing all zone right now, so we’ll have to spend a lot more time with zone (in practice),” Bagley said. “St. Marys is a big, physical team; they’re a football team that plays basketball.”

The game will air live on WERT 1220 AM and 104.3 FM, and will stream live on The Van Wert independent: www.thevwindependent.com.