The Thunderhawks’ laser-like focus was the result at least in part of coach Clint Adkins’ time-off strategy. He gave them the first three days off and limited subsequent practices to 60-90 minutes.
TUESDAY BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT COVERAGE
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» Terri Adams’ photo gallery from Badin-Oakwood
“The guys were really sharp from the get-go,” Adkins said. “I was proud of their focus and execution. When you get 11 days off, you never know what you’re going to get.”
“I stayed off my feet as much as possible,” 6-foot-4 senior Bash Wieland said about his break strategy.
Wieland scored a team-high 11 points in just 24 minutes for East, which shot 54.5 percent (24-of-44) from the field overall, 55.6 percent (5-for-9) on 3-pointers, outrebounded Little Miami 26-16, and was whistled for just two personal fouls while dispatching the Panthers in less than an hour and posting their biggest victory of the season.
Little Miami committed just seven personal fouls. The Panthers’ 22 points were their season-low.
Senior Grant Spicer, junior Kaden Fuhrmann and freshman Charlie Kenrich each finished with eight points for the confident Thunderhawks.
“We’re trying to say on an even keel,” Wieland said. “We’re trying to take it game by game.”
East (18-5), which hadn’t played since squeezing past Sycamore 49-47 in the regular-season finale on Feb, 15, will take a five-game winning streak into a district semifinal against fifth-seeded Princeton on Friday at 7 p.m. at HHS. The Thunderhawks beat the Vikings 57-48 on Jan. 25 in the only game between the two GMC teams.
The narrow win over Sycamore was a wakeup call for the Thunderhawks, who are seeking their first district championship since 2016.
“It really was,” Wieland said. “It was a Senior Night, and it was a little emotional. It was definitely a wakeup call. We didn’t play very good defense. We know that, if we’re going to go far in the tournament, we have to focus on our defensive intensity.”
Little Miami (10-14), a Southwest Ohio Conference team, committed turnovers while getting no shots on its first three possessions. Wieland scored seven points and senior Will Johnston six, including a ferocious dunk following a midcourt steal, during East’s 19-3 first quarter.
The Panthers didn’t score until senior guard Garrett Briscoe sank a 3-pointer from the right wing with 1:16 left in the quarter.
Little Miami 3-4-4-11—22
Lakota East 19-8-14-14—55
LITTLE MIAMI (10-14): Antonio Holman 1 0 2; Garrett Briscoe 2 0 6; Cole Spencer 3 0 8; Ryan Kerman 1 0 2; Trey Clemons 1 0 2; Ryan Highfield 1 0 2. Totals: 9-0-22
LAKOTA EAST (18-5): Deshawn Brown-Jackson 1 1 3; Stephen McKay 1 0 3; Kaden Fuhrmann 3 0 8; Bash Wieland 5 0 11; Trevor Howard 1 0 2; Will Johnston 2 1 6; Charlie Kenrich 4 0 8; Grant Spicer 4 0 8; Nate Johnson 3 0 6. Totals: 24-2-55
3-pointers: LM 4 (Briscoe 2, Spencer 2), LE 5 (Fuhrmann 2, McKay, Wieland, Johnston)
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