Taller Roughriders edge Cougars 62-60

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

ST. MARYS — A fourth quarter rally came up just short as Van Wert fell to tall timbered St. Marys Memorial 62-60 on Friday night. It was the third two point loss by the Cougars in a week.

Cobain Owens sealed the win for the Roughriders (6-5, 2-2 WBL) with a pair of free throws with 12.4 seconds left. Aidan Pratt converted a layup as time expired.

Leading 44-42 to start the fourth quarter, St. Marys Memorial’s first three baskets of the period were three pointers – two by Owens and one by 6-11 senior Austin Parks. Another bucket by Parks gave the Roughriders a 55-47 lead and it appeared momentum belonged to the Roughriders. However, a pair of treys by Carson Smith and a basket by Pratt gave the Cougars a brief 56-55 lead. A basket by Parks gave St. Marys the lead for good.

“Our guys showed their resiliency again and their competitive nature,” Van Wert head coach Ben Laudick said. “Carson made a couple of tough shots and he definitely kept us in it in that fourth quarter.”

Van Wert (7-4, 1-3 WBL) opened the game with three quick treys, including two by Smith to grab an early 9-2 lead. Pratt also drained a pair of triples and Van Wert led 16-13 entering the second quarter. Parks went to work in the second period, scoring nine of his team’s 15 points, giving the Roughriders a 28-25 halftime lead. Pratt and Luke Wessell combined for 13 of Van Wert’s 17 third quarter points.

Pratt led all scorers with 26 points while Smith added 19, including 11 in the fourth quarter. Smith converted five three point baskets in the game. The Cougars finished 22-of-50 from the floor and 7-of-10 from the free throw line. The Roughriders were 26-of-52 shooting and 5-of-9 from the foul line. Parks finished with 22 points, while 6-7 junior Jace Turner had 16 and Owens 14. The Roughriders finished with a 28-23 rebounding advantage.

“It’s difficult to simulate their size in practice and I thought our guys did a good job,” Laudick said. “They (St. Marys) pose all sorts of matchup problems and put you in some different scenarios and unfortunately they had some guys hit a few shots tonight.”

Van Wert will host Bryan today (4 p.m. JV start).

Box score

St. Marys 13 15 16 18 – 62
Van Wert 16 9 17 18 – 60

St. Marys Memorial: Jaden Lotz 1-0-2; Noah Payne 2-0-5; Cobain Owens 5-2-14; Brayden Sullivan 2-0-4; Jace Turner 6-2-16; Austin Parks 10-1-22

Van Wert: Nate Phillips 1-1-3; Luke Wessell 2-4-8; Carson Smith 6-2-19; Garett Gunter 2-0-4; Aidan Pratt 11-0-26

JV: St. Marys 66-42