Liberty Benton ends Cougar boys’ season

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

FINDLAY — The Van Wert Cougars’ kept it competitive for three quarters, but Liberty Benton stepped on the gas in the fourth quarter to win 61-36 Friday in a Division III sectional finals game played at Findlay High School.

The Eagles (18-5) will go on to meet St. Henry, the other sectional finals winner at Findlay, in a district semifinal game played Thursday at Ohio Northern University.

Liberty Benton got off to a quick start to lead the Cougars 15-8 at the end of the first quarter. The Eagles were up by 10, 25-15, at the half, but Van Wert was still in it, trailing by 11, 36-25, heading into the final period of play.

But Liberty Benton dashed Cougar hopes with a 25-11 spurt in the fourth quarter to win by 25 points.

Van Wert was led by Colin Smith and Connor Holliday, who scored 10 in the game. Holliday, a good free-throw shooter, struggled early in the game, but got back on track in the final quarter to finish 8 of 13 at the line.

The Eagles were led by Jon Dager’s 19 points, while Nathan Craft added 15 points and Anthony Masterlasco scored 11 for Liberty Benton.

Liberty Benton’s intense defense crushed the Cougars’ inside game. Van Wert was just 6 of 24 from two-point range (25 percent), while also hitting a quarter of its three-point attempts (4 of 16). The Cougars were 12 of 19 at the free throw line (63.2 percent).

The Eagles were 19 of 34 from the field (55.9 percent), and also made half of their four attempts from three-point range. Liberty Benton made 21 of 29 foul shot attempts (72.4 percent).

The Eagles outrebounded Van Wert, 30-20, while also having fewer turnovers (11-14).

The Cougars end their season at 7-16.