FROM UNDERNEATH — Big Red’s Santino Haney puts up a layup past Toronto’s Brody Winters during Sunday’s game at the Todd Kalivoda Holiday Showcase. - Andrew Grimm

After falling short in a battle with defending West Virginia state champ Wheeling Central on Saturday night to suffer its first loss of the season, Big Red bounced back in a big way on Sunday evening.

Taking on host Toronto in the finale of the Sixth Annual Todd Kalivoda Holiday Showcase, Steubenville had four players reach double figures in earning a bounce back 78-57 victory over the Red Knights to get back in the win column.

“That was the one good thing about it, we could come right back and play again about 18 hours later,” Big Red head coach Mike Haney said. “It was a good bounce back win. We didn’t have long to sit on it and sulk about it, we got to come right back out and got to play today (Sunday) and got the victory.”

Santino Haney tallied 19 points, six assists, six rebounds and four steals to lead Steubenville (6-1), Tre Wiggins and Cole Bowers each knocked down three 3s and finished with 17 points and Jermaine Moore netted 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal.

Toronto’s Brady Fair takes a 3-point shot over Big Red’s JoJo Rea. - Andrew Grimm

And, as much as it was a bounce back performance for the offense, it was an even bigger one for the defense. Big Red forced Toronto into 21 turnovers and recorded 11 steals.

“We love forcing turnovers, we talk about getting deflections and getting after it on defense,” coach Haney said. “Our defense gave us energy, when our defense gets going we start scoring the other way. It was a big bounce back defensively.”

Big Red opened a lead of as much as 11 in the opening quarter and led by 10 after one quarter, and pushed the margin to 13 early in the second quarter.

Toronto (6-3) came pushing back, pulling within seven, but Big Red scored the final nine points of the half, capped by a Wiggins half-court three at the buzzer to make it 42-26 Big Red at the break.

Big Red pushed the lead to as many as 24 in the second half, and it never dropped back below 20.

Big Red’s Jermaine Moore puts up a layup against Toronto. - Andrew Grimm

For Toronto, it was the second-straight day they tested a Division III opponent in their home showcase. They dropped a meeting with defending state champion Louisville on Saturday.

Their other loss this season was also playing up in an event in Orlando against a Division I equivalent team, Columbine (Colorado).

“Absolutely, these two days are going to make us better,” Toronto head coach Sean Tucker said. “We try to put our guys in the biggest tests possible in our showcase, we played two great teams, two great programs and two schools much bigger than us. We want to see where our weaknesses are, see where we can get better. Games like these humble you, they show you how you can get better. The two teams we played are going to win a lot of games, why not give our kids a shot against teams of that caliber?

“These two games are going to make us better, it’s going to humble us and make us play together as a team. It showed our weaknesses, now we’ve got to work on those weaknesses. Sometimes you don’t see those weaknesses (playing schools our own size), the margin for error is so small for us in games like this it really shows us how to get better.

“I’m extremely proud of the guys, at no point did they show any quit the last two days. We showed we can play with teams like this at times. Now we see how we can be better, we’ll see what the new year brings us.”

Toronto’s Austin Buchanan drives to the paint against Big Red’s Tre Wiggins. - Andrew Grimm

Austin Buchanan led Toronto with a game-high 21 points, five assists and four rebounds. He was the only Knight in double figures, but three players finished with nine points — Landon Grimes, Brody Winters and Brady Fair. Fair also had a team-high seven rebounds.

Both teams have some much needed time off after playing back-to-back nights. Big Red travels to Cambridge next Saturday and Toronto also is off until Saturday when it hosts Madonna for the Knights’ 100 year celebration.

OTHER ACTION

Earlier in the day on Sunday, Bridgeport defeated Wellsville 69-53, Carrollton topped Edison 66-18 and Marlington topped Patriot Prep 59-41.

SUCCESSFUL EVENT

A total of 12 games featuring 19 different teams were played in the sixth iteration of the two day event. The Kunzler Gymnasium was packed both days.

“It’s been a great couple of days for our school, our program and our town,” Tucker said. “I can’t thank our parents enough, without them, this doesn’t operate. Our coaching staff does an amazing job, our athletic director (Mark Ferrell) does a fantastic job behind the scenes, it’s a total team effort.

“This year was a huge success, and it’s honoring a great Toronto Red Knight. Todd was a great guy and he bled Red Knights. What a way to honor him.

“We’ll take a couple of weeks and start planning for next year.”

COMING TOGETHER

Big Red and Toronto’s teams came together at mid court prior to the game Sunday evening to lead a moment of prayer for longtime Indian Creek boys basketball coach Joe Dunlevy, who was hospitalized on Saturday.

Todd Kalivoda Holiday Showcase

At Toronto High School Kunzler Gymnasium

Steubenville 78, Toronto 57

S 23-19-27-9 — 78

T 13-13-20-11 — 57

STEUBENVILLE (6-1): Wiggins 6 2-2 17; Haney 9 1-2 19; Moore 5 1-3 11; C. Bowers 7 0-0 17; L. Bowers 1 0-2 2; Adams 0 0-0 0; Rea 2 0-0 4; Edwards 2 0-0 6; Burkhart 0 0-0 0; Luke 1 0-0 2; Kokiko 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 33, 4-9; 78.

TORONTO (6-3): Grimes 4 0-0 9; Winters 4 1-2 9; Buchanan 8 0-0 21; Fair 4 0-0 9; Henry 2 1-1 5; Joynson 2 0-0 4; Rebich 0 0-0 0; Close 0 0-0 0; Bodnar 0 0-0 0; Anderson 0 0-0 0; Barcus 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 24, 2-3; 57.

3-POINTERS: Steubenville 8 (Wiggins 3, C. Bowers 3, Edwards 2); Toronto 7 (Buchanan 5, Grimes 1, Fair 1). ASSISTS: Steubenville 18 (Haney 6); Toronto 15 (Buchanan 5). REBOUNDS: Steubenville 38 (Rea 9); Toronto 28 (Fair 7). STEALS: Steubenville 11 (Haney 4); Toronto 5 (Winters 3). BLOCKS: Steubenville 0; Toronto 5 (Buchanan 2, Close 2). TURNOVERS: Steubenville 11; Toronto 21.