Stockaders down Chieftains, clinch a share of SBC River title

BASCOM — Old Fort outlasted Hopewell-Loudon to clinch a share of the Sandusky Bay Conference River Division on the road Friday night, 53-31."It's a grind with all the [SBC River] games. We have so many great games, and we got to be ready," Old Fort coach Eric Hoover said. "It's a long, long time. A lot of work goes into that throughout the season; throughout the summer. So, it's great to clinch a share."The first quarter of the game was close with the Chieftains (6-12 overall, 5-10 SBC River) playing 'keep away' and trying to maintain possession of the basketball.The Stockaders (17-2, 16-0) scored 19 seconds into the game when Isaac Gallagher made an inside basket.It was over two minutes later before H-L's Braylon Martinez dribble-penetrated to the lane for a bucket to tie things up.After the Chieftains' Luca SanGregory stole the ball, he found Martinez inside for a layup to give their team the lead, 4-2.On the ensuing possession, Old Fort's Gallagher scored two more points in the paint.Hopewell responded when SanGregory passed it inside to Will Nutter for a contested basket.Stockader senior Ryan Adelsperger converted off the glass from short range, then a minute later, Adelsperger hit a short jumper to regain the lead, 8-6.The Chieftains' Nutter scored again in the paint, and the teams ended the quarter tied at 8-all.H-L scored on the first possession of the new period when Kellen Frankart assisted SanGregory on a short jumper, but Old Fort's Gallagher put back an offensive rebound to even things back up right away.A little over two minutes later, Stockaders senior Griffin Miller made a single foul shot. The next possession, Martinez sank a couple free throws to go up, 12-11. This would be the Chieftains' final lead of the game as Old Fort finished the first half on a 9-2 run.The run began with Old Fort's Miller passing to Grant Havens on the left wing, and Havens knocking down the three-point shot. Miller then scored in the lane and sank a couple free throws on the next two offensive possessions. Adelsperger's left-hand layup off dribble penetration pushed the Stockaders lead to eight points before H-L's Brayden Brickman made a bucket inside to go into halftime: Old Fort 20, H-L 14.Then Gallagher again scored on an inside bucket to open the second half.H-L's Martinez answered with two points in the paint to get within six points. That's the closest the Chieftains would get the remainder of the game as the Stockaders' Havens converted a foul shot and Gallagher scored on a contested shot on consecutive trips to make it a nine-point game.Martinez made a left-handed layup for H-L only to see Old Fort score on consecutive trips again when Adelsperger put back an offensive board and Tyson Frisch scored on an assist from Gallagher.The Cheiftains' Ashton Miller made a shot from the charity stripe to get his team within 10 points.A little under two minutes later, Frisch scored on a close bucket again for the Stockaders.Then, H-L's Miller hit a midrange jumper, and Brickman made a shot inside to make it an eight-point deficit.Old Fort's Adelsperger nailed a three from the top of the key with a couple seconds remaining in the third quarter to go into the final period with a 34-23 lead.Adelsperger opened the fourth quarter by making a fadeaway jumper for the Stockaders.H-L's Martinez was able to get to the line and make a couple free throws to get within 11 points.From there, Old Fort scored on their next seven possessions to end the game on a 17-6 run."I think we were getting to the hoop a lot there at the beginning of the second half and that opened things up," Coach Hoover said about the run.Havens hit back-to-back threes from the left corner when the Chieftain's Will Nutter was able to score off the glass to make the score, 42-27 Stockaders lead.Adelsperger made a three on the right wing for Old Fort, but was answered by a basket in the lane by Martinez.The Stockaders' Miller hit a floater, Gallagher scored on a right-handed layup, and Frisch dribble-penetrated for a layup over their next three offenses.Martinez converted two foul shots for the Chieftains, and Old Fort's Gallagher scored a final field goal inside to round out the scoring in the contest.Coach Hoover said Hopewell-Loudon had a really, hard physical defense that made it difficult for his players. "We had too many turnovers in the first half," Hoover said.The Stockaders' Adelsperger compiled 16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals, while Gallagher and Havens chipped in 14 and 10, respectively.Martinez led H-L with 16 points.