Fort Recovery wins behind strong 3rd

FORT RECOVERY — The Indians trailed by 14 points midway through the second quarter.

The winning margin was the same spread. Just for the home team.

Fort Recovery High School’s boys basketball team erased the first-half deficit and scored 27 points in the third quarter en route to a 64-50 victory over Delphos Jefferson on Friday at Fort Site Fieldhouse.

Jefferson raced out to a 21-10 lead after eight minutes. It led 29-15 with 4 minutes, 7 seconds, remaining in the half before the Indians (1-0) went on a 10-0 run to cut into the deficit.

Ryan Braun, who finished with nine points, made a jumper and drained a 3-pointer in helping the Tribe during the run. Micaiah Cox made a basket and a free throw, and Caleb Martin also had a basket in the streak.

Cox led all players with 22 points while hauling in 10 rebounds. Martin joined him in double figures with 10 points and four rebounds with a game-high five assists. Matt Bihn chipped in eight points, Payton Jutte had six points and Travis Sutter tallied five.

Jefferson led 31-25 at halftime, and the Indians scored the first six points to take a 33-32 advantage. It didn’t last, however, as Jefferson’s Jace Stockwell — he led the team with 21 points — put his team back up by one, 34-33.

Fort Recovery responded with eight straight points for a 41-34 lead and never trailed again despite the advantage shrinking to one with slightly more than three minutes to play in the third quarter. The Indians led 52-45 heading into the fourth quarter and only surrendered five points in the final period.

Junior varsity

Fort Recovery kept a late push at bay in defeating Jefferson 48-45.

After trailing 16-11 heading to the second quarter, the Indians (1-0) nabbed a 28-26 lead heading into intermission. A 7-4 margin in the third quarter gave the Tribe a 35-30 advantage entering the fourth quarter.

Grant Knapke led the Indians with 13 points. Clayton Pearson and Noah Lennartz had nine points each, while Reese Rogers and Will Homan added six apiece.