Cougars outlast Bath in league battle

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

The Van Wert Cougars shot a couple of crucial free throws down the stretch to outlast the last-place Lima Bath Wildcats 58-56 in a Western Buckeye League contest Friday in the Cougars’ Den.

The Cougars had balanced scoring, led by Nate Place’s 20 points, but nearly gave the game away at the end when they made a number of unforced turnovers to help Bath mount a comeback.

In addition to Place, other Van Wert players in double figures include Jacoby Kelly and Drew Bagley, who each had 12 points, while Dylan Lautzenheiser added 11 points for the Cougar. Chad Frey led the Wildcats with 16 points, while Kaden Sullivan added 15 points for Bath.

Van Wert led by eight points, 20-12, at the end of the first quarter, but the Wildcats outscored the Cougars 19-10 in the second stanza to lead by a point, 31-30, at the half. Van Wert came out strong in the third quarter to take back the lead with a 19-12 run to make it 49-43, heading into the final stanza. The Cougars got a little sloppy in the fourth period, but Nick Gutierrez made his only free throw of the game at the right time to give Van Wert the win at 57-56. A second free throw in the final seconds by Dylan Lautzenheiser on the front end of a 1-and-1 gave Van Wert the winning margin.

The Cougars made 24 of 41 field goal attempts (58.5 percent), including 4 of 10 from three-point range (40 percent). Van Wert was 6 of 10 at the free throw line (60 percent). Bath made 21 of 43 field-goal attempts (48.8 percent), and were 6 of 13 from behind the arc (46.2 percent). The Wildcats were 7 of 14 from the line (50 percent).

Bath led in rebounding, 18-12, while both teams had eight turnovers.

The Cougars are now 9-8 overall and 2-4 in the WBL, while Bath is 3-13 overall and 0-6 in league play.

The Cougar junior varsity team won a close one, 52-50, in the opener. Clayton Proffitt and Joey Schaufelberger each scored 9 points to lead Van Wert.

The Cougars are playing a very good Fort Wayne Carroll team this afternoon at home.

Box score

Lima Bath 12 19 12 13—56

Van Wert  20 10 19  9—58

Lima Bath (56) – Ryan Gossard 7, Chad Frey 16, Kaden Sullivan 15, Harrison Gough 8, Logan Mangrun 3, Devon Kinyon 7. Totals: 21 7-14 56.

Van Wert (58) – Jacoby Kelly 12, Nate Place 20, Nick Gutierrez 3, Drew Bagley 12, Dylan Lautzenheiser 11. Totals: 24 6-10 58.

JVs: Van Wert won 52-50.