Garfield outlasts Waterloo 65-60;Matt Hill picks up 1st varsity coaching win
GARRETTSVILLE, OH- I was back in Garrettsville Saturday afternoon for a Portage County boys matchup as the Garfield G-MEN hosted the Waterloo Vikings. Garfield was playing only their 2nd game of the season and 1st since last Saturday as coach Matt Hill looked to once again pick up that 1st varsity coaching win. The Vikings were looking to break out of their recent losing streak. It was a close game throughout as the G-MEN were able to hold on for a 65-60 win.
Waterloo would jump out to a 7-2 lead following a Mason Biltz three ball. The G-MEN responded with a 9-0 run after four straight points from Brandyn Bogucki to take a 11-7 lead. The Vikings would then post an 8-0 run capped off by a pair of Keyshawn King three balls to go up 15-11.
Keyshawn King tracks down the loose ball and curies a corner 3 for Waterloo in the 1st
The Vikings would hold a 16-13 lead after one.
The teams traded baskets to begin the 2nd quarter before a Devin Bates three tied the game at 18. After a Nate Grabowski three put Garfield up 21-10, four straight from the Vikings gave them a three point lead. Bogucki would score inside for Garfield with the foul but could not convert the free throw.
Brandyn Bogucki with the nice score inside and the foul for the G-MEN in the 2nd
The game was tied at 28-28 late in the 3rd before Bates and-one conversion gave Garfield a 31-28 lead. King would hit his third three ball of the half to tie it back up at 31-31. Garfield would outscore the Vikings 6-2 to end the 2nd and take a 37-33 lead into the break.
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The 3rd quarter opened up with back and forth scoring for the first few minutes before a G-MEN 6-1 run gave them a 46-40 lead following an Oliver Walker layup. Waterloo came back to score five of the next seven cutting it back to a two point game. Devin Bates would then convert his second and-one opportunity of the game followed by another Walker score to take a 51-44 lead. After a bucket and a free throw by the Vikings, Bates would score the final four points of the quarter including a buzzer beating layup to give the G-MEN a 55-47 lead after three.
Devin Bates beat the 3rd quarter buzzer with a layup
Waterloo would make a 5-0 run to start the 4th with all five coming from Biltz as they cut the Garfield lead to 55-52. After a Grabowski three for Garfield, Isaac Hall converted back to back buckets inside to tie the game at 58-58.
Isaac Hall with a score and a foul to tie the game at 58
Jared Cardinal and Parker Gill would get consecutive buckets for Garfield to give them a four point lead. King would pull the Vikings within two before Oliver Walker converted a big score inside putting Garfield up 64-60.
Oliver Walker scores inside to ice the game for Garfield
Waterloo was forced to foul Brandyn Bogucki with just under 10 seconds remaining. He converted one of two for the final score of 65-60 in favor of the G-MEN. Cardinal and Walker did not light up the stat sheet, but both came up big in key moments late in the 4th to help seal the win for Garfield.
Devin Bates led the way with 22 point and many tough conversions at the rim. Nate Grabowski chipped in with 15 and a trio of three balls.
Keyshawn King was tops for Waterloo with 19 points.
Garfield looks for two in a row on 12/15 against a improved Ravenna squad while the Vikings look to bounce back against on 12/16 vs Springfield.
