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Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio – Could this matchup be a potential district championship preview?
With the intensity both teams showed for 32 minutes Saturday night, it has the potential to be.
Thanks to a strong fourth-quarter run and timely buckets, Walsh Jesuit defeated Copley 55-48, in non-conference action.
The Warriors led 14-12 at the end of the first, thanks to efforts from seniors Rico Pickett and Tyler Halligan. They each had four points.
Copley stayed in the game thanks to efforts from 6’7 senior Caleb Laurich. He had eight points in the second, including a huge block.
Rico Pickett had eight more points, including an impressive find of Max Matta in the paint. Thanks to this, the Warriors led 30-25 at the half.
The Warriors led 34-30 with 4:05 left in the third quarter, thanks to a Rico Pickett bucket. But Copley responded with an 8-2 run to take the lead, 38-36 late in the third.
Seniors Preston Taylor and Glen Parker had five and six, respectively, for the Indians.
In a contest such as this, every possession counted.
Walsh Jesuit junior Keith Rivers knocked down a jumper to end the third and knot both teams at 38.
In the fourth, the Warriors got key buckets from players including Zach Halligan, Tyler Bell, and Max Matta. Matta converted a huge and-one in the fourth, Bell knocked down a shot, and Halligan had two big buckets.
All of this, plus stellar defense (and a Keith Rivers rim-rattling jam), enabled the Warriors to hang on for the win.
Senior guard Rico Pickett had 18 points to lead Walsh Jesuit. Junior guard Max Matta had nine, and Keith Rivers Jr. had six.
For Copley, Preston Taylor and Caleb Laurich each had 12. Glenn Parker had ten (including his six third-quarter points).
Walsh Jesuit (14-2) is currently riding a six-game winning streak. They host Gilmour Academy next Friday night in a non-conference showdown.
Copley (12-3) saw their six-game winning streak come to an end. They travel to Wooster for a non-conference matchup Tuesday evening.
Check out extended highlights below:
