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WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — When you’re hot, you’re hot.
But when Miami Trace started Friday evening’s Division III district quarterfinal against Chillicothe, the Panthers weren’t just hot — they were white-hot.
Meeting with Chillicothe for a third time this season, MT looked for a fast start and let it fly from beyond the arc to begin the night.
They couldn’t seem to miss, connecting with six triples in the first quarter to give them a 16-point lead at the end of the first.
The Panthers (22-0) kept their foot on the gas from there. Chillicothe never got back within single digits as MT cruised to a 63-45 victory, sending itself into a district semifinal.
“How we started the game was very important, I thought. Everyone will look at our shooting, which was very key. But as a coach, I look at our ball movement and I thought our passing led us into great high-percentage looks,” Panthers head coach Ben Ackley said. “I’ve never seen a 21-0 team more doubted coming into a game. Every game takes on its own personality. I think there were three games this year that we were lucky to win, and [MT’s second meeting with Chillicothe] was one of them. Our kids respected Chillicothe, but we’ve been dialed in all week and came out tonight and did our job. I’m glad that they showed what we’re capable of.”
Chillicothe (12-12) played a zone defense to start the evening, and the Panthers made the Cavaliers pay the price.
On the game’s first possession, Skye Slayers spotted up from the corner and fired, watching the ball sail into the net for the game’s first points. Later, with MT leading 5-3, Salyers again launched a triple from the right wing and connected. Then, Trey Robinette drained two open 3’s of his own, giving the Panthers an early 17-5 lead with just over three minutes left in the first.
It was just what the doctor ordered, but Miami Trace didn’t stop there.
Salyers continued his hot start and knocked down two more triples in the frame as the Panthers built their lead to a 25-11 count at the end of the first.
The game was far from over, but Miami Trace stayed in control throughout the rest of the night.
While Chillicothe tried to chip away at the deficit, and Cartae Ligon gave the Cavaliers a spark with seven points off the bench, the Panthers still dictated the pace of the game in the second quarter.
Salyers knocked down another 3 to finish the first half 5-for-6 from outside, leading the Panthers to a 35-22 lead heading into the break.
With Miami Trace’s shooters stealing the show in the first half, Chillicothe locked down on them defensively in an attempt to limit their offensive abilities in the second.
The Panthers were OK with that. In turn, they relied on Adam Guthrie to get things done offensively in the paint.
After Miami Trace forced a turnover on the defensive end, the Panthers fed Guthrie in the post on their first possession of the second half. Guthrie backed his defender down before spinning and putting the ball in the basket while drawing a foul. He then finished the bonus free throw to extend the lead to 38-22.
On the next trip down, Guthrie scooped up a loose ball and finished at the rim for an easy layup. The junior continued to be there for his team in clean-up duty, grabbing a board off a missed layup and finishing with a put-back a few possessions later.
Guthrie would put up 11 points in the third quarter alone, bringing his scoring total to 16 as Miami Trace brought a 52-37 lead into the fourth.
“When you shoot the ball the way we did tonight, and then you have a guy like Adam, we’re pretty much unguardable when we take care of the ball,” Ackley said. “Tonight, the only time we didn’t get a high-percentage look was when we turned it over. We went into the locker room and had that big of a lead, and Adam only had five points. We were in a really good position, because we knew [Chillicothe] would come out and apply pressure, but I knew that would open Adam up.”
Although the Cavaliers never quit until the final buzzer, their last-ditch effort in the fourth quarter was all to no avail. With the game well in hand, MT pulled its starters late as the Panthers celebrated a victory over Chillicothe for the third time this season — this time, a 63-45 final to advance in the postseason.
“Coach [Pat] Beard is a very good coach and a great game-planner. His staff does a great job, and their kids are crazy athletic. I saw kids tonight hitting 3’s that I haven’t seen make those shots all year,” Ackley said. “I thought we did a good job executing our game plan. We worked a lot on zone, because their zone gave us a lot of trouble the last time we played them. Like I said, I thought our ball movement was key. I’m proud of the kids and their effort, because we knew Chillicothe would bring it tonight and I’ve got nothing but respect for them.”
“Our seniors didn’t lose a game on their home floor their senior year. That’s something they can remember for the rest of their lives, and when they bring their kids and their wives here,” Ackley said of his team’s seniors. “These kids have a lot to be proud of. Every win, they’re rewriting the record books at Miami Trace, and they’re just a great group of young men who do things the right way.”
Miami Trace was led in scoring by Guthrie, who did a little bit of everything, scoring 19 points while grabbing nine boards and dishing out seven assists. Salyers finished his evening with 17 points while Robinette and Julian Baker ended the night with 11 points each.
Chillicothe was led in scoring by Ligon, who scored a team-high 15 points off the bench. Caydon Cox followed with 13 points to go with five rebounds. Cooper Stoneking finished with seven points, and Cam Badger put up six points, four rebounds and three assists in his final game as a Cavalier.
The Panthers will move on to face Warren on Tuesday evening. Warren knocked off Marietta by a 64-45 final to advance.
That contest, a Division III district semifinal, is slated for a 7 p.m. start at Logan High School.
“[Warren] will be the best team we’ve seen all year, with arguably as good of a guard as we’ve seen all year. Their coach is as good of a coach as there is in Southern Ohio. So we’ll have to play the best we’ve played all year,” Ackley said. “But they’re also going to have to play well to play with us. I’ve told our guys for the last two months that we’re beatable. Everyone is beatable, but it’s going to take a special effort to beat us. It’ll be a battle, and we look forward to watching our kids compete.”
BOX SCORE
Chillicothe: 11-11-15-8 — 45
Miami Trace: 25-10-17-11 — 63
Chillicothe scoring: Ligon 15, Cox 13, Stoneking 7, Badger 6, Hamman 2, Miller 2
Miami Trace scoring: Guthrie 19, Salyers 17, Robinette 11, Baker 11, Bowers 5
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