Reynoldsburg 64, Pickerington Central 61
Raiders overcome adversity and remain undefeated in the OCC-Buckeye
Written by 270 Hoops staff writer Greg Glasser
REYNOLDSBURG, OH - Throughout the regular season, there are ups and downs, with learning lessons along the way. But the ultimate goal is to be prepared for the postseason and if you happen to make some mistakes along the way, it helps to learn those lessons and still pick up a win.
That was the case for Reynoldsburg on Tuesday night, as their 17-point second half lead against Pickerington Central dwindled down to just two with under 30 seconds remaining until they escaped with a 64-61 victory in front of a sold out home crowd.
“We had it all the way, never a doubt,” Reynoldsburg head coach Andrew Moore said sarcastically after the game. “We had three or four guys that just had to play major minutes for the first time. Although they struggled some, they handled the pressure well enough to get a win even though it was not pretty. I’m happy though, because that was a nail biter.”
After Reynoldsburg had a dominant second quarter, in which they outscored the Tigers 21-6 to take a 14-point halftime lead, nails were fully in-tact as the Raiders had control of nearly every facet of the game.
When Reynoldsburg senior Xavier McKinney hit a three on the first possession of the third quarter, the Raiders looked to continue that dominance.
Yet after his make, McKinney received a technical due to his reaction, which gave him his fourth foul and led him to the bench for the remainder of the period.
The Raiders were able to maintain a relatively comfortable lead for the next seven minutes without their star wing, an Ohio University signee, as they held a nine-point advantage headed into the final period.
But then on the very first possession of the fourth, McKinney would pick up his fifth and final foul. It also didn’t help the Raiders cause that McKinney’s brother Braylon McKinney, a junior starter and emerging role player, left the game due to injury.
With only two available veteran starters on the floor for Reynoldsburg, the Tigers were on the prowl and began to press the inexperienced Raiders backcourt. With an influx of turnovers, along with a relentless attack from Tigers star junior guard Landon Evans, Central gradually chipped at Reynoldsburg’s lead.
