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AURORA, Ohio– Aurora did its best of trying to make a late-game comeback in the closing seconds of the game, but junior Kaden Davis and the Tallmadge Blue Devils were able to escape away with a 63-58 win.
“We’ve had six really tough losses lately and we’ve been in every game,” Tallmadge head coach Justen Little said. “So hopefully this was a turning point for our season.”
Both teams stayed within two possessions of each other for most of the first half. For the Blue Devils, they often found success within transition after a successful defensive effort the other way. They were able to use their size and speed to get buckets near the rim, forcing the Greenmen to try and stop them from getting the ball inside the paint.
After the game was tied at 14 after the first quarter, the Blue Devils opened up the second quarter on a swift 5-0 run. That lead wouldn’t last long after the Greenmen tested its outside shot, keeping them within one possession for the remainder of the half. As both teams kept trading away transition buckets, the Blue Devils held a 28-27 lead at the break.
“They like to attack and get to paint and that was one thing we really wanted to take away,” Little said. “We were more concerned with them getting to the paint and killing us there and I think we did a decent job of defensive rebounds.”
The start of the second half was controlled by the Greenmen as they pushed out to a 38-32 lead just four minutes into the third quarter, opening up the second half on an 11-4 run. From there, the Blue Devils were able to slow down the pace of play at times, forcing the Greenmen to test its outside shot some more, something that wasn’t falling for most of the night.
With that, the Blue Devils trailed by just one point heading into the fourth quarter.
End of 3rd: Aurora 42, Tallmadge 41.
Tallmadge ends the final three minutes of the third quarter on a 7-2 run.@SportsKee1 pic.twitter.com/BvIv4FtZcl— Michael Trivisonno (@MichaelTriv_) January 19, 2024
Davis scored 11 points in the fourth quarter alone for the Blue Devils, something his team needed to help seal the much-needed win. An 8-2 run propelled by Davis, Paul Rusinko and Jake Taylor was the start they needed to get out to a lead. An 8-2 run in the first minute and a half was something the Greenmen weren’t able to come back from as they tried to cut into the lead a slew of times, starting at the free-throw line.
As a team, they missed five free throws in the fourth quarter, something that would’ve helped them climb back, especially since they got within three points with under one minute left in the game.
In the end, Davis, Rusinko and Taylor combined for 48 of the team’s 63 points during the win.
“This is the second half of the league season and it’s pretty much now or never if we’re going to change the momentum of the season,” Little said. “They responded and I am pleased.”
As for the Greenmen, Zachary Pannetti and Joshua Harrell each scored 16 points during the loss with senior Cooper Carnahan contributing with 12 points as well.
