Trending
BLACKSVILLE -- The Madonna boys basketball team concluded its season with a 71-53 defeat to Clay-Battelle during Wednesday's Class A Region 1 co-final.
"I want to congratulate Clay-Battelle. They are a very good basketball team," Madonna head coach George Vargo said. "Their three big boys combined for around 50 points, and you have to do that to get to Charleston. We couldn't stop them, and maybe that's my fault.
"I am happy for our two seniors -- Lucky Pulice and Thomas Sessi. We lost, but at least they got to play it. We were snake-bitten all season. It was one of those seasons where we couldn't get a break, and you need that sometimes to gain confidence."
The Blue Dons, 20-13, after one quarter and later, 33-25, at the break. Clay-Battelle increased its lead to 13 entering the fourth and outscored Madonna (8-10), 24-17, during the final stanza.
"When we had to press in the fourth, they found guys underneath the basket," Vargo said. "It's hard to come from behind 10 or more points. They were hot early, and our shots didn't fall."
Matt Amaismeier led Madonna with 17 points, including four 3-point goals. Pulice netted a dozen points, Evan Bone 10 and Santino Arlia seven.
The regional co-final followed the Blue Dons' heartbreaking two-point overtime defeat to Cameron for the Section 1 championship on Friday. Vargo does not believe that contest carried over to Wednesday.
"I think it was the opposite," he said. "They really wanted this one. They felt the pain from the game and put into practice and (Wednesday's) game."
Pulice scored his 1,000th career point against the Dragons.
For Clay-Battelle, Mojo Chisler dropped a game-high 24 points on five made 3s. Gavin Moore scored 19 and Tanner Hennen a dozen.
Clay-Battelle 71, Madonna 53
Madonna 13 12 11 17 -- 53
Clay-Battelle 20 13 16 24 -- 71
MADONNA (8-10): Mascio 0 0-0 0; Serafine 0 0-0 0; Sessi 0 0-0 0; Pietranton 1 0-0 2; Arlia 3 0-0 7; Dietrich 1 1-2 3; Amaismeier 5 3-3 17; Pulice 3 6-8 12; Bone 4 1-2 10; Yates 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 17, 11-15: 53.
CLAY-BATTELLE: Statlen 2 2-2 8; Boczek 0 1-2 1; Ammons 2 5-6 9; Watson 0 0-0 0; Moore 8 2-3 19; Hennen 4 3-5 12; Chisler 8 3-3 24. TOTALS: 24, 16-21: 71.
3-POINT GOALS: Madonna 6 (Arlia, Amaismeier 4, Bone); Clay-Battelle 9 (Statlen 2, Moore, Hennen, Chisler 5).