New Lexington 60 Meigs 53 OT ... D4 District 'ship final

[pfloyd]

Meigs 53
New Lexington 60 OT

…If I told you one team outrebounded the other 42-23 for the game … same team did not allow a transition bucket in 4 qtrs and an OT … same team did not allow the opposing team an offensive putback bucket … would you believe that this the “23 rb/0 transition fgs/0 offensive boards & putback buckets” team won? New Lexington 60 Meigs 52 OT final …

Out of the 4 quarters of regulation the Meigs Marauders led after 3 of the them …Meigs & New Lex were tied after 4 … the NL Panthers only led after one 1 period - the most important one - the extra 4 minute OT … on paper prior to the game if you knew nothing about either team but the program info … New Lex entered at 14-10 … Meigs 22-1 … BUT (and there is ALWAYS a but) if you look at the NL losses - 2 losses to 20-3 Maysville, a loss to 18-4 Tri Valley, a loss to 16-7 Bishop Watterson, a loss to 22-0 Columbus Academy, a loss to John Glenn 19-4, 2 losses to a 19-4 Coshocton team AND they had beaten an 18-3 Steubenville in the regular season (a team who is playing Miami Trace in the D3 District final at the Convo Sunday) … in the preseason rankings I had New Lexington as my #3 team - Coach Duerr returned all but one player off of last season’s district appearance squad … New Lexington was/IS a better team than the 14-10 record indicated entering last night’s district final game vs Meigs …

Meigs starting size : 6-8, 6-5, 6-5, 6-4, 6-0 off the bench 6-6, 6-2 … with no past knowledge you would think MHS would pound the ball into the paint vs New Lexington who lined up 6-4, 6-2, 6-1, 5-10, 5-10 with 6-4 , 5-9 off the bench … using the same logic NL looked on paper to be a 3 point shooting, quick , run down hill - get to the rim type of team … BOTH are right BOTH teams did do what “the on paper” look told us BUT (again there it is) New Lex with it’s 2 options on paper covered BOTH attributes (got downhill, shot the 3) better and at opportune times than Meigs was able to do with ‘getting the ball into the paint to their “bigs” …

… the opening quarter had Meigs fans feeling good as 6-5 jr Reed Brinager got into the paint on a pair of drives to the rim 4pts, the big swing forward asserted his size down low with an offensive board and stickback for 2pts … 6-8 Carson Davis who can score at all 3 levels again showed that size does matter as he pulled down a miss at the offensive end and put it back up and in for 2pts … 6-5 Dustin Vance scored on a transition finish at the rim 2pts … a good start in the opening quarter for the Marauders of Coach Ryan Davis … New Lexington, basically an all guard lineup (minus the 6-4 Stephens the Younger) looked to attack the rim - it’s their MO , they looked to take and hit 3’s - it’s their MO, in the opening quarter it was truly a feeling out quarter as you can’t simulate the Meigs size in practice when you “ain’t got it to simulate” … you come into the game with a “plan of attack”, you execute - see what the MHS response is - then you adjust … in the 1st, the Panthers handled the Meigs defense taking care of the ball - no turnovers (check) … they were able to get looks on the perimeter 8 of them , sr. PG Isaiah Stephens led the way hitting the 1 trey to go with a drive & finish at the rim , a make/miss at the FT line 6pts in the qtr for the sr PG, soph SG Lane Ratliff scored on a 15 fter … the NL information gathering foray into the land of the MHS Bigs had begun … Meigs 12 New Lex 8 after 1 … the Marauder's leader on the floor is 6-8 Carson Davis, the jr. has done it all for MHS all season … in the 2nd Davis hit all levels at the offensive end as the big man drained an NBA three, hit a fadeaway jumper for 2pts and scored at the rim 2pts /11 in the half … by the halfway point of the 2nd Meigs had opened up an 11 pt advantage after an Aaron Tobin putback bucket in the paint … New Lex continued to be patient, staying with what they do best - 3’s and getting to the rim - Eli Stephens 6-4 soph, scored in the paint for 2pts, followed up with a trey from the top of the key 3 pts, off the bench 6-4 sr. Malakye Thresher scored on the blocks 2pts … sr. 5-10 Bentley Hanson used his quickness with the ball to get to the rim on back to back possessions 4pts to closeout the quarter for New Lex … Meigs 24 New Lex 19 at the half … coming into the game it was my opinion all season that Meigs’ achilles heal is their “ability or inability “ to handle on ball pressure of the “trapping” variety … decision making with the ball when pressured - I had seen them struggle early in the season minus their PG vs Fairfield Union (winning by 4 pts committing 18 turnovers) , vs Warren 15 turnovers in a loss, 14 turnovers vs Marietta in a 1 pt win … bigs putting it on the floor or having to decide where to throw the ball is never a good combo … thru 2 quarters Meigs had 6 turnovers to New Lex’s 0 … New Lex had 4 pts after Meigs turnovers … New Lex thru 2 periods was 2 for 15 from 3 point land & 10 pts at the rim … on the Meigs side if they follow the script points in the paint should be good - 14 pts in the paint , 6 second chance points - size in the paint … usually as well as the in the paint points Meigs with Davis, Brinager/DeWees/Gheen shoot the 3 very well - thru a half of action 1/7 from behind the arc … New Lex had not found the range - yet … HAD gotten into the paint … I told Lou Horvath - this was going to be fun if New Lex started connecting from long range … in the 3rd Eli Stephens was fouled going to the rim make/make … Paul Stenson rang up a trey-3pts … Bentley Hanson followed with corner three … when the 3’s are flying and you have quickness you take it to the rim - Lane Ratliff to the paint for 2pts … by the 4:01 mark of the 3rd the Panthers had taken the lead 29-27 … after Hanson had shown the 3 earlier in the period, he took the ball from outside the 3 point line, a fake and drive to the rim 2pts … Ratliff … jab step … rise .. 3 pointer from the leftside - count it … Meigs stayed focused on getting the ball inside as Dustin Vance got 2 touches - 2 fgs in the paint 4pts … Davis inside 2pts … Brinager with a 12 footer - 2pts .. a floater in the paint from 3 ft - 2pts … when the buzzer sounded , Meigs had regained the lead 35-34 … New Lex had established it’s ability to get to the rim in the opening 2 quarters, by the 3rd the threes were falling ⅜ from beyond the 3 point line … Meigs could score from in the paint, had not established an outside game … game on … Meigs 35 New Lexington 34 after 3 … New Lex had set up their offensive game in the first 2 quarters - show the ability to take the defender to the hole while setting up the drive by showing the 3 ball - if it goes in great, if not okay - we showed they have to defend the 3 because “we be” shooting it … when you close out on the 3 we get “the step” needed to get to the rim - win win for New Lex … in the 3rd confidence from behind the arc established … 4th quarter - time to put it ALL together … by the end of the 4th quarter the Panthers had made 10 fgs in the 3rd and 4th combined … 7 of the fgs were from Court Street - 3’s … 3 threes in a row to close out the 4th quarter - Isaiah Stephens with the “go left” drive and finish at the rim 2pts … Stephens followed up the “setup” drive with a 3 pter … Stephens the younger a 3 ball, Stephens the elder another trey … Eli Stephens the younger a 3 pointer … when the game gets tight Meigs puts the ball in Carson Davis’ hands, the 6-8 jr. scored on one of New Lex’s miscues 2pts, an 18 foot jumper 2pts … Brinager make make at the line… Davis a deep three pointer … Brinager a hard drive & finish 2pts … trailing 48-46 … Davis to the line for 2 … make make … 48-48 1:25 to play in regulation … New Lex held the ball … timeout with 32.7 to play … miss inside on the contested drive … Meigs with the board … 2.3 on the clock sideout Meigs just past half court … pass to under the bucket … stepped out of bounds , .5 to play New Lex ball … Meigs 48 New Lexington 48 after regulation … Get the lead , hold it in OT … Meigs scored down low pass to Vance in the paint & finish 2pts … Vance had 4 touches in the paint for the game - 4 finishes & scores … 50-48 Meigs … that was as good as it got for MHS in the OT as New Lex took control … the 4 quarters of setting up the drive to open up the 3 ball and showing the 3 ball to open up the drive allowed them to get to all 3 levels in the OT as they added the midrange to the offense - Isaiah Stephens with a 15 footer - 2pts/ Hanson with a jumper from the FT line- 2pts / Eli Stephens after hitting a pair of threes in the 4th took the ball in the left corner, pump fake, drive and finish 2 pts at the rim … Meigs answered with a Davis 3 ball attempt in front of the home bench - no good but a foul … Davis went 1 for 3 from the line … Brinager scored in the paint 2pts … 50-54 with 1:17 on the clock in the extra period … New Lex closed out the game from the line going 6/8 down the stretch … New Lexington 60 Meigs 53 a final in OT …

Quarter Breaks:

New Lexington..........08...19...34...48…60
Meigs………………...12...23...35...48…53

Pfloyd's official "UN-official" Napkin Stats - Meigs

Scoring ... Carson Davis 23, Reed Brinager 18, Dustin Vance 8, Owen Tracy 2, Aaron Tobin 2
3 Pointers ... 2/15 … Carson Davis 2
FTs ... 9/12
TOs ... 13
PnP ... 15 fgs/30 points in the paint
PnT ... 2 fgs/ 4 points in transition
Pbk ... 3 fgs/ 6 points on putback buckets

Pfloyd's official "UN-official" Napkin Stats - New Lexington


Scoring ... Isaiah Stephens 19, Eli Stephens 15, Bentley Hanson 14, Lane Ratliff 7, Paul Stenson 3, Malakye Thresher 2
3 Pointers ... 9/31 ... Eli Stephens 3, Isaiah Stephens 3, Lane Ratliff 1, Bentley Hanson 1, Paul Stenson 1
FTs ... 9/12
TOs ... 3
PnP ... 9 fgs/ 18 points in the paint
PnT ... 0 fgs/0 points in transition
Pbk ... 0 fgs/ 0 points on putback buckets

[Hookshot]

Of course, love your detailed writeups PFloyd. Some things probably shouldn't be said on a high school based message board. Let's just say New Lexington is superbly coached.

[Hookshot]

Of course, love your detailed writeups PFloyd. Some things probably shouldn't be said on a high school based message board. Let's just say New Lexington is superbly coached.

[AnkleBraces]

i wouldnt believe you until you described Meigs shot selection. shew

[trampoline]

I am shocked that Meigs isnt getting crushed today on this site

[itsme]

I am shocked that Meigs isnt getting crushed today on this site

What can you say a better TEAM won. Meigs has better players, but it comes down to team

[TudorsGuy]

Shockingly bad effort from Meigs. Davis needs to get in the paint

[*D1*]

Of course, love your detailed writeups PFloyd. Some things probably shouldn't be said on a high school based message board. Let's just say New Lexington is superbly coached.

No surprise here. This is what happens when you run good coaches out and replace them with subpar. A group of players with enough depth and talent that they could have gone undefeated with no coaching at all and made a deep tournament run. Yet neither of those things were accomplished. And it’s not just in basketball either. Football is an even better example. SMDH

[teach1coach2]

New Lex coach has been a top coach for several years in the MVL. No matter who New Lex is playing, their kids are put in the best position to win. Doesn't mean they always win.

[1gcfan]

New Lex coach has been a top coach for several years in the MVL. No matter who New Lex is playing, their kids are put in the best position to win. Doesn't mean they always win.

Agree!

[ZTPMM88]

I know Carson Davis is Meigs best player, but why on earth they have him dribbling the ball up the court on most possessions is beyond me. I realize he can shoot the ball with great accuracy from anywhere on the floor, but to me he should be down in the post using his size to his advantage down low. Meigs had a great season...probably best season in school history. However, they just don't seem to play as a team too well. Hardly run any offensive sets in the half court. It's just the Davis and Brinegar show bringing the ball up and shooting it within 20 seconds. This team has the potential to be really good again next season. May want to work on running the offense in the half court more and working the ball inside to Davis so he can bully opponents down low which subsequently will allow for kick-out 3s to Brinegar and company. I would definitely try to schedule some quality non-league opponents next season. Beating the brakes off of River Valley, Wellston, and Alexander twice does nothing to prepare you for tournament play. Still an outstanding season for Meigs. This school has historically had terrible season after terrible season in basketball for decades, so it certainly is nice to see the Marauders taste success. Hats off to the Marauder faithful as well....great turnout at the Convo by the Meigs fans. Hope to see them back next year and not be a one and done. Got your feet wet by making it there for the first time since the mid 1980s (I believe...could be forgetting a season since then). Now it's time to take the next step boys!!! Good luck in 2025-2026 season!

[Hookshot]

Meigs will have great record again next season, and unless things change they will be a team with talent that underperforms. Davis the player isn't coached effectively, and it impacts the team's overall performance. How would the Marauders do with the New Lex coach?

[itsme]

I know Carson Davis is Meigs best player, but why on earth they have him dribbling the ball up the court on most possessions is beyond me. I realize he can shoot the ball with great accuracy from anywhere on the floor, but to me he should be down in the post using his size to his advantage down low. Meigs had a great season...probably best season in school history. However, they just don't seem to play as a team too well. Hardly run any offensive sets in the half court. It's just the Davis and Brinegar show bringing the ball up and shooting it within 20 seconds. This team has the potential to be really good again next season. May want to work on running the offense in the half court more and working the ball inside to Davis so he can bully opponents down low which subsequently will allow for kick-out 3s to Brinegar and company. I would definitely try to schedule some quality non-league opponents next season. Beating the brakes off of River Valley, Wellston, and Alexander twice does nothing to prepare you for tournament play. Still an outstanding season for Meigs. This school has historically had terrible season after terrible season in basketball for decades, so it certainly is nice to see the Marauders taste success. Hats off to the Marauder faithful as well....great turnout at the Convo by the Meigs fans. Hope to see them back next year and not be a one and done. Got your feet wet by making it there for the first time since the mid 1980s (I believe...could be forgetting a season since then). Now it's time to take the next step boys!!! Good luck in 2025-2026 season!

Reed is alot better player then Carson

[SouthEast Hoops Fan]

Meigs will have great record again next season, and unless things change they will be a team with talent that underperforms. Davis the player isn't coached effectively, and it impacts the team's overall performance. How would the Marauders do with the New Lex coach?

How much better would they be with New Lex coach? Or Marietta’s? Or Warren’s staff? You know the answer.

[Honey Caadwell]

Meigs will have great record again next season, and unless things change they will be a team with talent that underperforms. Davis the player isn't coached effectively, and it impacts the team's overall performance. How would the Marauders do with the New Lex coach?

How much better would they be with New Lex coach? Or Marietta’s? Or Warren’s staff? You know the answer.

Or Howie? Let’s face fax. If they would have ponied up enough $$$ last year they’d have the premier coach in the area and they’d most certainly still be playing. They certainly have the players to do it. If they want better results next year they need to get with Barterm or whoever the money guy is and get their sheet together to coax Howie to take over. He’s the ticket to the dance.

[Barney Rubble]

I am shocked that Meigs isnt getting crushed today on this site

Star link is down in Appalachia.

[Logangrad]

Not sure why big body kids feel the need to shoot 3's when they could be more dominate under the bucket. The red head kid for Meigs is their best player IMO. Total package. Size, can shoot, rebound, get to the rim and plays Defense. Why he didnt get more touches is mind blowing to me and the big kid took some dumb shots in key situations.