BOYS BASKETBALL: Eagles deny Titans top seed

Published 9:07 pm Friday, February 15, 2019

By Justin Kelm

Special to The News

DAYTON — Electricity filled the gym in as the No. 7 Memorial Titans faced the No. 8 Barbers Hill Eagles with the rights to the District 21-5A title on line.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

Both teams came in with identical records at 11-1. Both crowds came out in full force with limited seating available. In the end, Barbers Hill took a 69-57 victory.

Tip-off had the Eagles in control. Barbers Hill came out firing, connecting on numerous threes.

The foul trouble started early for Memorial (24-7). Barbers Hill was sent to the free throw line and connected on 7 of 12 attempts.

Trailing 9-5, the Titans responded by going on a run of their own. Led by Kenneth Lofton Jr. the Titans responded throughout the second quarter never trailing the Eagles. At the half, the Titans took a 35-24 lead.

As the third quarter began, the Eagles crowd came alive. The Eagles (29-6) responded by going on a 10-0 streak and made it a game.

The third quarter was filled with both teams making key plays. Armand Callihan made two free throws to give the Titans the 45-43 lead going into the fourth quarter.

It was a one-two punch of Kyler Duhon and Max Armer that brought the Eagles back into the game. Armer found Duhon on a easy assist and the Eagles regained the lead at 47-46.

A continuous effort by the Eagles forced the Titans to call a time out. The Eagles’ lead was 51-46.

Both crowds began to erupt as they both competed to show who had more spirit. Armer continued to put on a show for the Eagles, but the Titans would not go away. Drilling a three, the lead was clipped to 53-49.

Lofton then took control of the game, making a key field goal. With 3:11 to go in the game, the Titans took a timeout.

The Eagles responded by opening up a nine-point lead, 61-52. The crowd began to funnel out as the Eagles lead continued to rise.

With the win the Eagles clinched the season series over the Titans as well as the top seed in 21-5A. The Eagles improved to 29-6 on the season, while the Titans fell to 24-7.