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JACKSON — When all else fails, throw the ball inside and let Adam Guthrie do the rest.
It’s a simple formula and an ace up the sleeve that Miami Trace has. Friday was a perfect example of how much he can affect the game.
The 6-foot-7 standout was the center of Jackson’s attention, but he still managed to finish with 18 points and nine rebounds to lift his Panthers (4-0, 1-0 FAC) to a 54-47 victory over the Ironmen on the opening night of FAC play.
“We put a lot on his shoulders as the only returning starter from last year. He’s handled everything incredibly well,” Miami Trace coach Ben Ackley said. “He’s the alpha of this team, and he puts a lot of pressure on a defense to make them commit to something. Jackson is a tough place to play and they’re a very good, seasoned team, with a bunch of experienced varsity players. It wasn’t our prettiest version of basketball, but we came in and escaped with a tough road win.”
Despite breaking in four new starters, it was point guard Gage Bowers that showcased his ability to control the game.
In his first road start in conference action, he was calm and collected in the face of adversity while playing a clean game. He passed the ball effectively, evidenced by five assists, and knocked down a pair of shots in key moments, finishing with eight points.
“He continues to grow every single game and he’s only going to get better as he sees more competition,” Ackley said. “He’s a very gritty and smart kid who has a very bright future, and he played the way an experienced guard would instead of the freshman like he is.”
Jackson (3-1, 0-1 FAC) started the game 3-for-3 from the field, including a triple from Stephen Jenkins to take a 7-5 lead. The Panthers answered back with buckets from Trey Robinette, Skye Salyers and Juilan Baker to go on an 8-0 run for a 13-7 advantage. But Jackson’s Charlie Woodard got a bucket and a foul shot to close out the first quarter’s scoring at 13-10.
Much of the same transpired in the second. Woodard and Ryan Seimetz each connected from distance for Jackson, as did Gage Bowers for Miami Trace.
However, the ability to finish at the rim from Guthrie, Salyers and Baker kept the Panthers ahead throughout the frame, leading to a 26-20 score at halftime.
Woodard connected on a triple to open the third, but that’s when the Panthers turned up the heat. Bowers scored a 3-ball, Guthrie scored two buckets inside and Baker found the bottom of the net for a 9-0 run that created some distance and a 35-23 lead.
“I think we were a bit overlooked coming into the season because we lost some valuable players and starters from last season,” Ackley said. “But we’re not a one or two-year team. This is a program. We have guys that waited their turn to make an impact, and they’re showing what they’re capable of. The biggest strength of this time is our unselfishness. They share the ball and don’t care who scores or anything as long as there’s a win in the win-loss column.”
Yet, Jackson still had some life as Bodhi Wolford and Jax Carroll led a 6-0 run to end the quarter and regain a little momentum, despite trailing 35-29.
The Panthers opened the fourth with a bucket from Robinette before Guthrie notched a rebound and putback to get the lead back to 10 points.
Although MT didn’t log a field goal for the rest of the frame, the free throw line was very kind to the Panthers as they shot 22-of-30 on the night, including 15-of-20 in the fourth to close out the win.
“That was huge. Not just getting to the free throw line, but converting those chances at a pretty high rate,” Ackley said. “I was really happy for Trey Robinette. He didn’t have his greatest game against Logan Elm, but he responded in a huge way the way a senior should. Everyone who played gave huge minutes. We pride ourselves on getting three stops in a row, and we did that a handful of times. I couldn’t be more proud of the guys.”
Following Guthrie’s final stat line, Robinette and Salyers finished with nine points each.
For Jackson, Woodard ended with a team-high 14 points, followed by Jenkins with 13 and Bodhi Wolford with 11.
Miami Trace returns to action on Tuesday at home against Chillicothe in FAC action. Meanwhile, Jackson, who defeated Lakewood on Sunday at Shawnee State University, hosts McClain that same evening.
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