Rootstown falls to Tuslaw 76-61 after big 2nd half by the Mustangs
ROOTSTOWN, OH- We kicked off our 2025/26 Portage boys basketball coverage on Tuesday night at the Roverdome where the Rootstown Rovers hosted the Tuslaw Mustangs from Massillon. The Mustangs won last season’s matchup between the two teams. They would repeat this season outscoring the Rovers 47-31 in the second half en route to a 76-61 win.
Rootstown got off to a quick start to this one when Ethan White opened the scoring with a three ball. After four straight by the Mustangs, the Rovers would get back to back buckets from Blake Mullaly and Carson Hayn to take a 7-4 lead.
Blake Mullaly with a nice score inside for the Rovers in the 1st
It stayed tight throughout the balance of the opening quarter. Elijah Cockrill hit a corner three for the Mustangs to tie it at 12-12 before a Dean Abdlrasul free throw split gave the Rovers a 13-12 lead after one.
The teams traded baskets to open the 2nd quarter before Abdlrasul splashed a three to put the Rovers up 18-14. A few possessions later he would score the next 9 Rover points capped off by another three to give Rootstown a 27-22 lead with 1:59 left in the half.
Dean Abdlrasul splashes a corner three in the 2nd for Rootstown
Tuslaw would end the half outscoring the Rovers 7-2 as Rootstown would hold a slim 30-29 lead after a Carson Hayn layup at the buzzer. Abdlrasul was big for the Rovers in the 2nd dropping 12 points and a pair of threes giving him a game high 13 points.
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The Mustangs opened the second half with five straight points after a Cockrill three and a Parker Reinhart bucket taking a 34-30 lead. A Pierson Kinsey three would cap off an 11-3 run to start the 3rd for Tuslaw pushing their lead to 40-33. Caleb Fillmore responded with a pair of free throws and another score to cut it to 40-37. Tuslaw would end the 3rd on a on a 9-1 run to take a 49-38 lead into the final quarter.
Caleb Fillmore scores inside for the Rovers in the 2nd half
Tuslaw would begin the 4th just like they did the 3rd scoring the first five points extending their lead to 16 at 54-38. The Rovers would pull to withing 10 at 60-50 midway through the 4th, but that’s as close as they would get the rest of the way as the Mustangs cruised through the final four minutes taking home the 76-61 win.
Blake Mullaly led the Rovers with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Dean Abdlrasul chipped in with 16 points.
The Rovers are back in action Saturday afternoon when they travel to Garrettsville to face the Garfield G-MEN at 2:30 PM.
