Medora falls to larger Lions squad

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MEDORA

Rock Creek Academy boasts a roster with three players taller than 6-foot-6, and they used their size to their advantage Saturday night.

The Lions attacked the post early and often, which resulted in a 66-43 victory against the hosting Medora Hornets.

In the first quarter, Rock Creek opened on a 9-3 run capped by a layup from 6-8 center Gedeon Nzombi.

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Medora’s Kirk Stewart narrowed the deficit to five points with a field goal at the 2:35 mark, and Austin Fish added a basket with 48 seconds left.

Trailing 19-11 after eight minutes of play, the Hornets scored seven points in the second quarter while giving up 12 to the Lions.

For the first time this season, the Hornets finished with zero fouls at the end of the first half.

“We were sliding our feet and recovering well without reaching,” Medora coach Michael Leitzman said. “That’s what we wanted, having them to make shots over us. They hit shots, and I give (Rock Creek) credit for that.”

Following halftime, the Hornets found themselves in a 33-20 hole before Jalen Beesley buried a 3-pointer at the 4:50 mark.

The Lions immediately responded with another basket from Nzombi. Rock Creek went on to lead 45-30 after three quarters.

Stewart opened the final quarter with a 3-pointer, and Beesley added another trey with 5:45 left in the game. However, the Hornets couldn’t muster enough points for a comeback.

Beesley led Medora with 14 points, and Stewart added nine points to the Hornets’ final tally.

Throughout the game, the Lions tried a full-court defense to slow the Hornets. Medora, however, had no trouble with the pressure.

“Our guards did a great job screening for each other and getting the ball in bounds against the press,” Leitzman said. “They spaced the basketball out, and the key was we ball-faked and got the ball in the middle. We game-planned for that, and we executed.”

On Friday night, the Hornets fell to reigning sectional champion Trinity Lutheran at Bollinger Athletic Complex in Seymour.

Leitzman said his team is taking steps in the right direction as the season winds down.

“Both teams were very big, so now we have no excuse down the line against bigger teams,” he said. “I think, overall, it was a good measurement of where we are at in the season. In six of the eight quarters, I was very impressed with our play. If we can get all eight, we will be where we want to be.”

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