River 79, Magnolia 68

Brett “Hitman” Price set the MHS HammerDome nets on fire Jan. 5, scoring a game-high 40 points that included eight trifectas to help power the River Pilots to a thrilling SRO 79-68 victory over the Magnolia Blue Eagles.

River and Magnolia played toe-to-toe for most of three quarters, with the Pilots lighting up the scoreboard with four three pointers in the first period alone. Price led the way with a pair of baskets from long rage to give the Pilots a slim 25-21 lead. Meanwhile, the combination of Mark Winters and Zach Wilhoite did most of the damage for Magnolia, scoring 19 of the Eagles’ 21 first-period points.

In the second period, the hosts regained their shooting form and tied the game at 38 before Price nailed a threeball right before the buzzer to give the Pilots a three-point advantage heading into the locker room.

The fierce competitors went after it like two heavyweight boxers in the third period, with Magnolia holding on to a 54-51 lead heading into the final period of play. In the last stanza, Price kept the game close, knocking in a deuce and a triple, while Preston Boswell knocked in eight points and Wilhoite added five to give the hosts the advantage in the last eight minutes of play.

In the final period, it was Price who nailed the coffin shut for River, scoring 12 of his game-high 40 points that included two three-point baskets to claim the nod.

Neither team provided stats other than points. Winters led the Eagle scoring with 24 points, that included a pair of long-range baskets, while Wilhoite followed with 23 points that included 13-17 free throws and a long-range triple.

In addition, Boswell netted 17 points, while Kyle Elliott had the final four markers that also included a basket from beyond the arc.

The Pilots sank 14 baskets from long range with Price leading the charge with eight, while Cody Caldwell and Matt Marconi each sinking three and Chad Isaly a single threeball.

Price ended with 40 points, while Marconi added 13 markers. Jordan Indermuhle and Caldwell each tallied nine points, but Caldwell had the task of containing the Eagles’ Winters. In addition, Isaly added six points and Kameron Brown put three points.

“We came out and played as a team. When we had a open shot, we knocked it down,” said Price. “All of us were on the same page and when you can get all of us working as one, its an awesome feeling.”

*****

The Magnolia Junior Varsity boys defeated River, 55-48. Cole Isaly and Ryan Indermuhle paced the Pilots with 15 and 10 points, respectively. For the Blue Eagles, Mitch Winters drilled 15 markers, while Eric Smith tallied a dozen.

*****

In the boys’ freshman game, it was Magnolia coming away with a 45-42 victory. Dillon Jackson led the Eagles with 14 points, while Chase Miller netted a dozen and Derrick Blain contributed 11 points. For the Pilots, Blaze Amos tallied 11 points, while Jake Arman sank 10.

*****

Starting the marathon basketball games was the Lady Pilots JV girls, who defeated Magnolia 29-18. Monica Curtis led the way offensively for the Lady Pilots with 10 points, while Anna Gibb paced the Eagles with 10 points.

Lady Pilots 65,

Magnolia 32

The Lady Pilot Varsity squad made it a clean sweep, beating Magnolia 65-36, as Cassidy McCullough tallied a game-high 20 points for the Ladies in Red. Laken Ramsay and Emile Weaver evenly split 22 points, while Jensen Caretti added nine points.

In addition, Haylee Bowers knocked in eight points, while Hannah Jones, Leslie Young, and Mikayla Cieszeski each tallied a deuce.

For the Lady Eagles, Mallory Chapman had a team-high eight points and 10 rebounds, while Grace Berisford, Katie Blatt, Jasmine Litton, and Cierra Fowler each knocked in five points. Kiera Standiford ended the Eagles’ scoring with four points and she blocked two shots. Blatt also contributed five boards, four assists, and made two steals, while Litton grabbed seven rebounds.

The Lady Eagles will next play Tyler Jan. 10 at Tyler Consolidated at 7:30 p.m., while the Lady Pilots take on the Lady Bulldogs in Bridgeport Jan. 14 at 6 p.m.

Magnolia 83, Linsly 68

In a thrilling 83-68 victory over the Linsly Cadets Jan. 7, Mark Winters posted a double-double in the first half, 19 points and 11 rebounds inside the HammerDome at MHS.

Keyed by 10-2 and 8-0 runs in the first half, Magnolia went into the break with a 46-25 advantage.

The Blue Eagles stretched their lead to 58-31 early in the second half before the Cadets nibbled at, but never challenged, Magnolia’s lead.

Winters ended the night with 30 points and 17 rebounds, while Zach Wilhoite pumped in 25 markers. Preston Boswell sank 11 tallies, while Stephen Rogalski netted seven points that included a threeball.

In addition, Spencer Campbell came off the bench to post five points, with Garrett Emch and Kyle Elliott each adding a deuce and Mitch Winters sinking a charity toss.

Speaking of the Eagles defensive effort, “When we play good defense, it really turns into great offense for us,” said Magnolia Head Coach Dave Tallman.

River 52, Shenandoah 37

The River Pilots improved to 5-3 on the season after earning a 52-37 victory over the Shenandoah Zeps last week in Sarahsville.

The Pilots were deadlocked at seven after one period of play, but had a 27-18 advantage at the break. The visitors increased their edge lead to 39-28 before blowing the Zeps away in the final stanza.

Brett “The Hitman” Price paced the Pilots with 16 points, while Cody Caldwell pumped in 13 points as the lone double-digit scorer for the Pilots. Jordan Indermuhle wiped the glass with 13 rebounds and Matt Marcoini contributed five assists.

Lady Pilots 71,

Monroe Central; 59

River launched a 24-11 first-quarter run and never looked back in disposing of county rival Monroe Central 71-59 in girls’ basketball action Jan. 3 at R. L. Potts Gymnasium in Hannibal.

Lady Pilot center Jensen Caretti pumped in a team-high 24 points to lead River to a season sweep over the Monroe Central Lady Seminoles. Laken Ramsay netted 18 points that included a basket from long range and connected on 11-16 freebies for the 9-2 River team.

Pilot teammate Cassidy McCullough tacked on 14 points, added seven steals, and dished out three assists, while Emile Weaver followed with eight markers. Landyn Ramsay scored four markers, while Haylee Bowers ended the Lady Pilot scoring with three points.

Weaver hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds, while Caretti grabbed nine. In the steal column, McCullough kidnaped seven, while Myla Smith delivered five of the Lady Pilots’ nine assists.

Wheeling Central 59,

Lady Eagles 38

Grace Berisford and Mallory Chapman teamed for 26 points that included a pair of three point baskets, but it wasn’t enough to get by the Lady Maroon Knights, who prevailed 59-38 Jan. 3 in Wheeling.

Katie Blatt tallied six markers for Magnolia, while Kiera Standiford, Aubrey Gibb, and Jasmine Litton each recorded a deuce.

Chapman pulled down a team-high nine boards, while Standiford and Blatt grabbed six and five rebounds, respectively. Blatt also had a team-high three assists and three steals, while swatting away one Maroon Knight shot.

Lady Pilots 56,

Buckeye Trail 31

The Lady Pilots’ Laken Ramsay and Jensen Caretti teamed for 22 points to lead River to a 56-31 victory over host Buckeye Trail Dec. 27. It was River’s eighth victory in 10 games.

Caretti would add 10 rebounds for a double-double, while Haylee Bowers followed with nine points for Rick Isaly’s Lady Pilots.

In addition, Landyn Ramsay added five points, while Devyn Potts, Myla Smith, and Hannah Jones each tallied a deuce.