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Ottoville - "What's a big green?" was echoing the halls just outside of the L.W. Heckman Gymnasium as Rocket Rowdies and players alike were celebrating a 39-35 Pandora-Gilboa victory over Ottoville.
This game was a defensive slugfest from start to finish where it felt like the team who made the least amount of mistakes would come out on top, turnovers went 9-7 with Ottoville having more (highly unofficially) and two turnovers was the same amount of possessions the Big Green fell by.
Ottoville started strong and got PG against the ropes early as the first quarter went 12-9 in Ottoville's favor. Brandon Calvelage led the way with 5 points with Alex Leis, Landon Horstman, and Ashton Miller each scoring a basket.
The first quarter was a "youth movement" as PG's seniors step aside and let the junior class take over the scoring category. Camden Verhoff rattled in a three while Adam Buell, Chase Meyer, and Cory Gerten each scored a pair of points.
Senior Lane Lee was ready to take back his claim of the leading point scorer and put up six points before the half while Adam Buell continued his phenomenal night with a jumper followed by splitting a pair of free-throws.
Alex Leis and Ashton Miller made sure to try and fend off a Rocket comeback and combined for all seven points scored in the second quarter. Ashton Miller drained a triple try and attempted a halfcourt shot just before half that wouldn't go for him. Ottoville maintained a one point, 19-18 lead over PG.
Landon Horstman did Landon Horstman things in the third quarter, converting on three separate 2 point attempts. Alex Leis would add a shot from behind the arc for the last three of Ottoville's nine third quarter points.
However, this would be the quarter Pandora-Gilboa finally got over their early deficit. Jack Buell swerved, bent the corner, and made the crowd woah with his first career three point make which would bring PG into their first lead of the night. Camden Verhoff converted on his deep ball while Lane Lee added four points as well.
Pandora-Gilboa's three point barrage was limited tonight as the attempts and makes were well below the team's average. Three conversions from beyond the arc was all the Rockets needed however.
Adam Buell had four more points, Lane Lee had three, and the clutch Camden Verhoff continued his new tradition of icing games at the end with his final four points. He made four consecutive free throws to end the game for PG. There was even a point of celebration towards the press box of the L.W. Heckman Gymnasium from Verhoff coming out of a timeout with five seconds to go.
Landon Horstman tried to will his team back into the lead with five points but fell just short. Ashton Miller also added two points in the quarter but at the end of the game it was the Rockets picking up a 39-35 victory.
This win marked Head Coach Mike Lee's 398th victory (398-254) spanning 28 years as the frontman of a program. The Rockets (now 7-5) face a tough stretch of schedule after this facing Arcadia, Arlington, and Bluffton in their next three games.
Pandora-Gilboa proved that when their "team defense" (the break of each huddle) is on they can play with the best of the best locally. The challenge will now be to do it consistently but with a huge PCL win the Rockets are building more confidence within the locker room and from people outside of it.
For the Big Green their next five games are a difficult stretch including PCL frontrunners Miller City, Kalida, and Fort Jennings. The last of which is a rematch where Ottoville will look to avenge a 50-45 loss on December 13th to Fort Jennings.
Make sure to check out WZOQ.com to see what upcoming Pandora-Gilboa or Ottoville games you can hear on the family of stations, including the new Putnam Sports Radio (denoted as PSR on the game schedule).
Scoring:
PG (39):
Lane Lee 13
Cory Gerten 2
Cam Verhoff 10
Adam Buell 9
Jack Buell 3
3PT: 7 (Verhoff 2, J. Buell)
TO: 7
Ottoville (35):
Ashton Miller 9
Alex Leis 8
Brandon Calvelage 5
Landon Horstman 13
3PT: 3 (A. Leis 2, Miller)
TO: 9
Score By Quarter:
PG 9-9-10-11
OV 12-7-9-7
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