Foul Shooting.. Foul Shooting.. and a foul shot that seemed to last forever marked Miami East OHSAA Boys Basketball Division III University of Dayton District Championship win on Thursday night over Cincinnati Mariemont. The Vikings made 18-21 for the game from the line and 11-12 in the key fourth quarter rally. The key play of the game had to be when Viking Connor Apple went to the line with the Vikings down 46-47 with just over a minute to go. Apple drained the first one to tie the game. The second one banged around the rim a couple of time then set on the front of the rim.. 1 Mississippi.. 2 Mississippi.. before falling into the basket giving the Vikings a 1 point lead that they would not relinquish.
The Vikings opened up the game with a 3 from Jacob Roeth to take a 3-0 lead. The Warriors would take their first lead when they put in a 3 and a basket Warriors 5-3. A basket by Roeth tied the game only to have Warriors match it Warriors 7-5. Viking Wes Enis tied the game at 7 with a basket only to have the Warrior match it and retake the lead 9-7. The Vikings would take their second lead of the game when Connor Apple would drain a 3 to put them up 10-9. That would be the last Viking lead till after half as the Warriors would run off a 7 point rally to take a 16-10 lead. Roeth would put in a basket at the end of the first to make it a 4 point game, Warriors 16-12.
The Warriors would put in 4 of the first 5 points of the second quarter with the Vikings getting a Roeth free throw. Warriors up 7, 20-13. A basket by Enis closed the game to 5 points 20-15. A pair of free throws would finish off the Warriors first half scoring at 22. The Viking would get a basket from Roeth to make it a 5 point game 22-17. Enis would steal the ball and get fouled during a layup attempt with .2 seconds left in the half. Enis would make both free throws to cut the Warrior lead 22-19. First half was marked by excellent shooting by the Warriors and a suffocating defense on Enis limiting his touches.
The Warriors would put in a free throw to make it a 4 point game 23-19 Warriors. A pair of driving layups by Roeth would also be 3 point plays put the Vikings up 25-23. A 3 by the Warriors put them back in the lead by 1, 26-25. An Enis basket put the Vikings back up by 1. A 3 point play by the Warriors would put them up 29-27. A free throw by Devon Abshire would make it a 1 point Warrior lead 29-28. A basket by the Warriors and a basket by Abshire would make it a 1 point Warrior lead 31-30. A 3 and a 2 would push the Warrior lead back up to 6, 36-30. The Vikings would stop with a 3 point play by Bryce Haught. Warriors 36-33. A basket by the Warriors at the buzzer put them up 38-33 at the end of 3.
The fourth quarter would have the Vikings pull away behind the play of newly anointed Southwest District DIII first teamers Enis and Roeth and a lot of help from their fiends. The Vikings opened up the last quarter scoring with an Enis basket and a pair of Roeth free throws. Warriors 38-37. A basket by the Warriors big guy put the Warriors back up by 3, 40-37. The Vikings would a basket from Roeth and a 3 from Apple to retake the lead 42-40. The Warriors would make a basket to tie the game at 42. The Vikings would open up a 4 point lead when Abshire made a basket and Roeth put in 2 free throws. Vikings 46-42. The Warriors would retake the lead when they would get 3 off a 4 point opportunity (Warriors missed their 1st 3 free throws of the quarter) and a basket. Warriors 47-46. Apple stepped up for the fateful free throws with just over a minute to go to put the Vikings in the lead for good 49-47. Roeth and Enis would both go 2-2 from the line to open up a 5 point Viking lead 52-47. A Warrior basket cut the Viking lead to 3, 52-49. Roeth would make 1-2 from the line to finish up the games scoring at 53-49. Miami East converted their first 10 free throws in the fourth to propel them to their first District title since 2009.
Jacob Roeth led the Vikings with 25 points while Wes Enis put in 12. Connor Apple scored 8, Devon Abshire 5, and Bryce Haught 3. The Vikings made three 3 pointers with Apple hitting 2 and Roeth 1. The Warriors made 5. Miami East was 18-21 from the line (Roeth 10-12, Enis 4-4 and Apple 2-2) while the Warriors were 5-10. Roeth also had 10 rebounds to complete the double double.
Miami East improves to 24-2 and will play Preble Shawnee (22-3) in the DIII Kettering Regional Semifinal on Wednesday at 8:00. Miami East was the SouthWest District North #1 seed while Shawnee was #2 seed. Also playing in the Kettering Regional is Tri Village 18-5 #3 seed in SouthWest North District and will take on Harvest prop in the early game on Wednesday. Shawnee and Tri-Village were 1 and 2 in the Western Ohio Conference, Miami East was co champs of the Three Rivers Conference. Mariemount, a District Champ last year, falls to 15-9.
Continentalenews is based out of North Creek Ohio and covers items of interest pertaining to the greater Continental Ohio area (NorthWest Putnam County). Jacob Roeth is the grandson of Continental High School grads David and Roxy Chivington. It is the pleasure to cover Miami East Basketball as schedule permits.
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter
