February 9, 2019 at 5:42 a.m.
Regular repeat
Schlechty scores 29 to lead JC to top of ACAC
Regular repeat
MONROEVILLE — Michael Schlechty made his first six shots of the night.
He continued to pour in the points as he bullied his way through the Heritage defense.
Schlechty scored a career-high 29 points on Friday, leading the Jay County High School boys basketball team to a 55-53 victory over the host Heritage Patriots to secure the regular-season Allen County Athletic Conference championship for the second consecutive year.
“Offensively we did a great job of driving, penetrating and pulling the defense in and kicking it out for open looks or having our defender help over and we'd just slip in for easy buckets,” said Schlechty, who was 12-of-15 from the field, including a 2-of-3 effort from beyond the arc, and made three of his four free throws. “It was there all night. We just kept going at them.”
Heritage coach Adam Gray said his Patriots (14-3, 5-1 ACAC), who had their eight-game winning streak snapped, struggled to handle Jay County’s size.
“We knew it was going to be a physical game,” the 2009 JCHS graduate said. “We didn't adjust to it very well.”
Schlechty scored seven of the first 11 points for Jay County (13-5, 6-0 ACAC). He notched his team's first basket on a Wyatt Geesaman assist for a 2-1 lead, then followed by tipping in a rebound on a missed 3-pointer. Later in the period, he stepped to the left corner and drained one from the perimeter.
He then drew contact to convert a Gabe Link assist and made the subsequent free throw. The 6-foot, 3-inch forward had 10 points in the first quarter and went into halftime with 16.
“I never really shoot a lot so I just never really expected it,” said Schlechty, whose previous career high of 19 was set Dec. 8 in a 53-51 win over Fort Recovery. “It's a big confidence booster. Every time the shot goes in you just want to keep shooting the ball.”
Schlechty's second 3-pointer midway through the third quarter put Jay County out front 38-28 for its biggest lead of the game.
Heritage didn't go away, though, poised to move to 10-1 on its home floor.
Trailing 40-31 early in the fourth, Jayden Harris drove to the rack for a layup, and more than a minute later an Alec Burton triple from the right wing on an assist from Parker Tracey cut the deficit to just four, 40-36.
Heritage began to foul Jay County, which is shooting just 53 percent from the foul line this season, in the final minute, hoping to make it into a free throw contest. Jay County was just 7-of-16 from the stripe in the fourth quarter and finished 8-of-23 (35 percent) for the night, but it was just enough to fend off the home team.
“I think they’re pretty torn up about (the loss),” Gray said. “I think that’s a good thing. We have a senior-led group and I think they’re starting to see the end of the tunnel of their basketball careers at Heritage.”
Ryan Schlechty joined his twin brother in double figures with 10 points after fighting foul trouble in the first half. He also had five assists, while Michael collected eight rebounds.
Burton’s 14 points were tops for Heritage, which also got 13 from Harris, 10 from Cameron Mitchell and 10 from Jason Holliness-Bell, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the final margin.
“We just did what we had to do to win a basketball game and that’s what’s important,” JCHS coach Chris Krieg said.
Junior varsity
Three players reached double figures as Jay County defeated Heritage handily, 45-25.
The visitors (13-3, 5-1 ACAC) had a seven-point lead after the first quarter but saw it dip to just two at halftime. A 14-5 advantage in the third quarter helped create space between Heritage, and a 13-4 margin in the final seven minutes kept the contest out of reach.
Gavin Muhlenkamp led all players with 11 points, as Ethan Dirksen and Gavin Lambert chipped in 10 apiece.
Freshman
Jay County struggled to score for three quarters and came up short against Heritage, 30-24.
The visiting Patriots fell behind 9-2 after one quarter and weren’t able to cut into the deficit in the second quarter as they trailed 15-7 athalf . The margin didn’t change heading to the fourth quarter as Jay County scored more in the final period than it had in the previous three.
Adrek Pogue scored 11 points for Jay County. Trenton Alexander was second on the team with eight points.
He continued to pour in the points as he bullied his way through the Heritage defense.
Schlechty scored a career-high 29 points on Friday, leading the Jay County High School boys basketball team to a 55-53 victory over the host Heritage Patriots to secure the regular-season Allen County Athletic Conference championship for the second consecutive year.
“Offensively we did a great job of driving, penetrating and pulling the defense in and kicking it out for open looks or having our defender help over and we'd just slip in for easy buckets,” said Schlechty, who was 12-of-15 from the field, including a 2-of-3 effort from beyond the arc, and made three of his four free throws. “It was there all night. We just kept going at them.”
Heritage coach Adam Gray said his Patriots (14-3, 5-1 ACAC), who had their eight-game winning streak snapped, struggled to handle Jay County’s size.
“We knew it was going to be a physical game,” the 2009 JCHS graduate said. “We didn't adjust to it very well.”
Schlechty scored seven of the first 11 points for Jay County (13-5, 6-0 ACAC). He notched his team's first basket on a Wyatt Geesaman assist for a 2-1 lead, then followed by tipping in a rebound on a missed 3-pointer. Later in the period, he stepped to the left corner and drained one from the perimeter.
He then drew contact to convert a Gabe Link assist and made the subsequent free throw. The 6-foot, 3-inch forward had 10 points in the first quarter and went into halftime with 16.
“I never really shoot a lot so I just never really expected it,” said Schlechty, whose previous career high of 19 was set Dec. 8 in a 53-51 win over Fort Recovery. “It's a big confidence booster. Every time the shot goes in you just want to keep shooting the ball.”
Schlechty's second 3-pointer midway through the third quarter put Jay County out front 38-28 for its biggest lead of the game.
Heritage didn't go away, though, poised to move to 10-1 on its home floor.
Trailing 40-31 early in the fourth, Jayden Harris drove to the rack for a layup, and more than a minute later an Alec Burton triple from the right wing on an assist from Parker Tracey cut the deficit to just four, 40-36.
Heritage began to foul Jay County, which is shooting just 53 percent from the foul line this season, in the final minute, hoping to make it into a free throw contest. Jay County was just 7-of-16 from the stripe in the fourth quarter and finished 8-of-23 (35 percent) for the night, but it was just enough to fend off the home team.
“I think they’re pretty torn up about (the loss),” Gray said. “I think that’s a good thing. We have a senior-led group and I think they’re starting to see the end of the tunnel of their basketball careers at Heritage.”
Ryan Schlechty joined his twin brother in double figures with 10 points after fighting foul trouble in the first half. He also had five assists, while Michael collected eight rebounds.
Burton’s 14 points were tops for Heritage, which also got 13 from Harris, 10 from Cameron Mitchell and 10 from Jason Holliness-Bell, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the final margin.
“We just did what we had to do to win a basketball game and that’s what’s important,” JCHS coach Chris Krieg said.
Junior varsity
Three players reached double figures as Jay County defeated Heritage handily, 45-25.
The visitors (13-3, 5-1 ACAC) had a seven-point lead after the first quarter but saw it dip to just two at halftime. A 14-5 advantage in the third quarter helped create space between Heritage, and a 13-4 margin in the final seven minutes kept the contest out of reach.
Gavin Muhlenkamp led all players with 11 points, as Ethan Dirksen and Gavin Lambert chipped in 10 apiece.
Freshman
Jay County struggled to score for three quarters and came up short against Heritage, 30-24.
The visiting Patriots fell behind 9-2 after one quarter and weren’t able to cut into the deficit in the second quarter as they trailed 15-7 at
Adrek Pogue scored 11 points for Jay County. Trenton Alexander was second on the team with eight points.
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