Turnovers cost Patriots in conference matchup

Despite scrappy play to stay in the game in the fourth quarter, Jay County couldn't make a final push to overcome Anderson Highland, falling 51-47.

Turnovers hurt the Patriots (7-5, 2-1 Olympic Athletic Conference) throughout the night as they coughed up the ball 18 times. After falling behind 16-2 in the first quarter by committing five turnovers in their first nine possessions, the Patriots clawed their way back to make it close in the closing period.

The Patriots held Anderson Highland to 15 points total in the second and third quarters after giving up 20 in the first.

Brad Horn tied the game at 35 on a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the third, then stole a sloppy inbounds pass by the Scots and laid it in to give the Patriots their only lead of the game at 37-35.

In the fourth, the Scots (6-9, 1-2 OAC) quickly regained the lead and exchanged some ties with the Patriots until, tied at 47, turnovers struck the Patriots again. Jay County lost the ball leading to a lay-up that took it to 49-47 for the Scots, then turned it over again on the next possession, leading to two free throws that put it away.

"It's kind of unusual for us, we're only averaging about 10 a game," Coach Craig Teagle said of the Patriots' turnovers Friday. "We're in a little bit of a funk right now. We don't have much confidence in ourselves.

"We haven't taken care of the basketball. We didn't play very well defensively," he said. "Late, we just did not execute offensively at all and a lot of that was the pressure.

"We're really struggling right now but hopefully since it's a young team we'll learn and grow from this, but again, hats off to Anderson Highland," he added. "The team that deserved to win won tonight."

"We started off lightning," said Anderson Highland Coach Jason Delaney of the first quarter, but praised the Patriots for their efforts to comeback in the game. "I thought (Jay County's) effort was wonderful. They could have quit early on in the game but they clawed back and that's a testament to Coach Teagle. They believe in him so they play extremely hard for him.

"We had to get our heads on straight ... it was just digging down, playing defense and playing smart on offense," Delaney said of his team's effort to close out the game.

Horn led the Patriots with 12 points, while freshman Brock McFarland added 10 points and six rebounds, Josh Beaty scored 10 and Eric Homan put in nine points to go with eight rebounds and four blocks.

Earlie Ivey led the Scots with a 13 point night off the bench and center Derrick Hill pounded in 12 points inside while Brogan Gary added 11 from the outside, including three 3-balls.

Junior varsity

The JV Patriots held Anderson Highland to two points in the second quarter on their way to a 38-27 victory.

Jay County jumped out to a 14-10 lead after one and extended that to 23-12 going into the half. The Patriots rode that lead the rest of the way to claim the win.

Cade Price had 11 points, Austin Cowan added 9 and Matt Landfair and Drew Houck contributed six apiece.[[In-content Ad]]