Dayton Meadowdale had to wait till last week to start playing games in the 2020-2021 season and Saturday night they were more than ready with deadly outside shooting and an effective trapping defense they took control of the game at Miami East early. Meanwhile the Vikings were playing a back-to-back game with a hard fought win on Friday night and adjusting to playing with a key contributor.
The Vikings got on the scoreboard first as Jacob Roeth put in the first basket for an early Viking 2-0 lead. A 3 by the Lions was followed by Nick Prince basket to put the Vikings back in the lead 4-3. The Lions would take the lead for good when they put in a pair of baskets for a 7-4 lead. Adam Bensman would make it a 1 point game when he made a basket. Lions 7-6. The Lions would finish the quarter with runs of 6 and 8 while the Vikings got a free throw from Devon Abshire and Roeth. Lions 25-8 after 1.
The second quarter was a story of runs as both teams put together a series of points but it was the Lions run of 11 points while the Viking run of 6 points saw the Lions expand their lead 22. The Vikings would open the second quarter scoring with a pair of free throws from Abshire. A Lions basket was followed by a Roeth 3 and it was now a 14 point game 27-13 Lions. The Lions would then pour in the next 11 points to open up a 25 point lead. The Lions run would be stopped by a pair of Abshire free throws. A basket by the Lions was followed by a 6 point Viking run with Roeth making a basket and a 3 and Bensman making a free throw. Lions 40-21. The teams would exchange points as the Lions would get a basket and the Vikings a pair of Roeth free throws. Lions 42-23. The Lions would put in a buzzer beating long 3 for a halftime score of 45-23.
The third quarter went the Lions way as they outscored the Vikings 22-18. The Lions closed the quarter with a pair of 3s in the closing seconds of the quarter with the last one beating the buzzer. The third quarter was characterized with the Lions making basket while the Vikings paraded to the foul line. The Vikings took 15 foul shots in the third making 11. Lions 67-41 after 3.
The two team both scored 22 points in the fourth quarter for a 89-63 final.
Jacob Roeth led the Vikings with 34 points while Devon Abshire put in 9. Adam Bensman scored 8, Nick Prince 7, Colin McEldowney 3, and Noah King 2. The Vikings made six 3s with Roeth making 3 and Prince and C. McEldowney making 1. The Lions put in ten 3s. The Vikings were 25-38 form the line with Roeth making 16-25, Abshire 5-7 and Benseman 4-6. Meadowdale shot 56% from the field including 50% from 3 point land while Miami East shot 36%, 28% from 3 point land. The Vikings outrebounded the Lions 40-26, with Adam Bensman garnering 13.
Miami East is now 10-3 and will host Covington on Friday in a CCC battle. Meadowdale is 1-2.
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter
