by SOLON, Ohio–
Four players reached double figures for Solon, led by senior Aaron Booze’s team-high 22 points, as the Comets pulled away for a 79–69 victory over North Royalton on Friday night.
Solon set the tone from the opening tip and never trailed. Seniors Omari Braxton and Booze, along with sophomore Dante Howell, made timely plays throughout the first half to keep the Comets firmly in control. Howell showcased his shooting touch early, drilling three three-pointers, capped by a 30-foot buzzer-beater that sent Solon into halftime with a 43–29 advantage.
Defensively, the Comets were disciplined against North Royalton’s 6-foot-8 Nolan Klingbeil, limiting his touches in the paint and cutting down second-chance opportunities. The Bears struggled to find a rhythm offensively, as Solon’s defense forced tough looks and controlled the glass throughout the opening half.
Once the Bears were able to run plays near the rim for Klingbeil to get easy looks early in the second half, that’s when they started to chip away at the Comet lead. A double-digit lead got within four points late in the third quarter, with the Bears outscoring the Comets 22-11 in a quarter where Klingbeil nearly outscored the Comets himself.
With their lead evaporating entering the fourth quarter, the Comets turned to sophomore Chris Underwood off the bench—and he delivered. Underwood buried four three-pointers in the final quarter, scoring all 12 of his points at moments when North Royalton desperately needed a stop.
Underwood and Aaron Booze powered a decisive fourth quarter filled with open threes and easy finishes at the rim, quickly halting any comeback attempt. That surge came despite Nolan Klingbeil’s dominant play inside, as the Bears’ big man poured in a game-high 34 points, including 26 in the second half.
Klingbeil led a North Royalton offense that featured just five scorers, with Omar Sulelman adding 17 points and Antonio Escano contributing with 13 points.
Dante Howell ended the night with 16 points for the Comets along with Omari Braxton’s 15 points to sweep the regular season series against the Bears.
