By SCOTT HUNT shunt@chronicle-tribune.com
Jan 25, 2025
Updated
FAIRMOUNT — Madison-Grant used an edginess, elevated energy and execution Friday night to take down county and conference rival, Eastbrook.
The Argylls grabbed a lead they wouldn’t relinquish less than three minutes into the game, then efficiently worked their offense, played tough and physical defense, and consistently beat the Panthers to the ball on hustle plays for the first three quarters.
Eastbrook found a fourth-quarter spark and some long range shooting to bring some drama into the game, but M-G always found an answer to a Panther challenge and held on for a 46-41 win.
“They came out and played hard and they played well,” said Argyll coach Josh Hendrixson. “We kind of took a little bit of a licking in the second half at Frankton last Friday night. Tied at halftime and ended up losing by 27. It was a constant theme all week, I really challenged our guards to do a better job of handling ball pressure, being tougher with the basketball and I think they really did that.
“Defense is something we’ve been able to count on all year. Putting the ball in the basket and sometimes not taking care of the basketball have been some things that have cost us some wins,” he continued. “I thought we were able to get baskets tonight when we needed them, get great possessions when we needed them. That ended up being the difference.”
The game was tied just once, at 2-2, before M-G pushed out to an 11-5 advantage after the first quarter.
The Argylls then hit 6-of-9 shots in second quarter and extended to a 24-10 lead with just under two minutes remaining in the first half. However, Eastbrook scored six points in the final 1:05 to close within eight at intermission.
Madison-Grant led by no fewer than six (26-20) in the third quarter and extended to a 37-26 margin going into the fourth.
Eastbrook used an 11-2 run in the first 3:30 of the fourth quarter to quickly cut the Argylls’ lead to two.
After Reid Aupperle’s bucket for the Panthers was answered by a basket by M-G’s Ike Almeda in the first minute of the final quarter, Eastbrook forced a pair of turnovers and held the Argylls scoreless for more than three minutes.
Kyler Hackman, Jayden Younce and Matthew Slater each swished home a 3-pointer and the Panthers cut the M-G lead to 39-37 with 4:30 remaining.
Argyll senior Luke Gilman came up with the biggest bucket of the game. He collected an offensive rebound and converted it into an old-fashioned 3-point play with 4:05 left to play to push the lead back to five.
M-G limited the Panthers to just one field goal – on a steal and assist by Hackman that led to a transition bucket for Bodie Howell – over the next three-plus minutes.
Gilman and Xavier Yeagy each made two free throws in the final 45 seconds that put the Argylls up by seven and ultimately secured the win.
“We talked about it pregame. We knew they were gonna come out fired up. They were gonna come out ready to play and the entire game it felt like their physicality and their aggressiveness really put us back on our heels,” said Eastbrook coach Jeff Liddick. “We made some really silly decisions on both ends of the court.
“We missed seven layups in the first half. We lose by five and missed seven layups in the first half because we went to the basket intimidated instead of playing through contact,” he continued. “Those are things we’re gonna continue to work on. We’re gonna work on them tomorrow morning at practice.”
Gilman finished with game highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Yeagy added 10 points and Almeda finished with eight for M-G.
The Argylls shot 51 percent (19-of-37) overall for the game and out-rebounded the Panthers, 25-20.
“We thought we might have a little bit of an advantage down low. That’s not something we say very often here at Madison-Grant,” Hendrixson said. “I thought Gilman could do some things. Ike could do some things.
“Gilman said at multiple timeouts, ‘They can’t stop me. They don’t have anybody that can guard me,’” he added. “If you know Luke Gilman, I don’t think I’d ever hear those words come out of his mouth so if he’s saying that, he must be serious. … He felt good tonight. He was active. He played well.”
Eastbrook made 14-of-37 (38 percent) from the field including 6-of-14 from 3-point range.
Younce led the Panthers with 11 points, Draven Collins chipped in nine and Malakai Luthy finished with six.
“Every loss is a lesson … the sun’s gonna come up tomorrow,” Liddick said. “It’s an opportunity for us to work on some things we struggled with tonight. We’re definitely gonna have to get them fixed before we play next week.”
Eastbrook (6-7, 1-4 in CIC) hosts Daleville Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and CIC-leading Blackford (9-5, 5-0) at 8 p.m. on Friday.
Madison-Grant (5-7, 2-3) plays its next six games on the road starting Friday at Oak Hill (10-3, 4-0).