Rangers storm back to beat Wildcats
NEW KNOXVILLE — Houston failed the score a single point in the final 3:00 while New Knoxville kept scoring to help the Rangers come away with a 45-34 non-conference boys basketball win against the Wildcats on Tuesday.
The Wildcats pulled the game to within two, 36-34, but did not score another point while the Rangers (3- 6) finished out the game scoring nine straight points.
New Knoxville outscored ton 15-3 in the fourth quarter.
A close game throughout, the Rangers opened the game with a 7-2 lead, but Houston scored the game’s next seven points to lead 9-7 with 1:31 left in the opening quarter. The quarter eventually ended in an 11-11 tie.
New Knoxville got out to a 19-18 lead with 2:24 left in the first half, but the Wildcats finished the quarter by scoring seven of the game’s next nine points, including the final five points to lead 25-21 at the half.
The Rangers closed the game in the third with a layup by Patrick Covert with under two minutes left in the third quarter and a layup from the left side from Carson Bierlein gave the Rangers their first lead in the second half with 7:41 remaining in the game.
Covert led all scorers with 19 points, followed by 12 from Bierlein. Sam Anspach scored all seven of his points in the second half and Max Henschen contributed five points.
The Rangers junior varsity team fell to New Bremen’s freshmen team 31-27.
With New Knoxville’s game against Ada on Saturday postponed, the Rangers’ next game is scheduled for Jan. 8 at home against Fort Recovery.
Hous
__ MINSTER 75, PANDORA-GILBOA 42
MINSTER — Minster had three players score in double figures as the team shot better than 50% from the floor to come away with a 75- 42 non- conference victory against Pandora
Gilboa on Tuesday.
Bryan Falk led the Wildcats (5-2) with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, followed by Johnny Nixon with 12 points on 6-of-10s shooting and 11 points from Josh Niekamp on 4-of- 6 shooting.
Minster shot 57.4% from the floor compared to the Rockets’ clip of 37.5%. The Wildcats also shot 47.8% (11-of-23) from beyond the arc.
The Minster junior varsity team fell in overtime 53-51.
The Wildcats will travel on Saturday to Ottoville.