Patriots Fall to Gators on Senior Night
Allen County-Scottsville senior Kyler Pedigo (1) glides toward the basket for a shot attempt against Greenwood last Friday. Pedigo entered the final week of the regular season needing 24 points to reach the 1,000 point mark in games played at AC-SH only. At that point, Pedigo will be the 13th AC-SH player to have scored at least 1,000 points in school history. (Photo by Don Meador).
By Don Meador,
Sports Writer
The Allen County-Scottsville Patriots dropped a third consecutive game last Friday. The Greenwood Gators used a 30-14 third quarter to pull away from the Patriots on their way to an 82-58 on Senior Night at Patriot Gym.
AC-SH senior D.J. Frields has seen limited court time this season for the Patriots. Still, Frields continued to battle his teammates each day in practice in an effort to make the team stronger. Frields started last Friday and played a season-high 5:16. (Photo by Don Meador).
AC-S battled Greenwood tooth-and-nail over the first 10 minutes. Baskets by Tyler Turner, Ay’Den Grainger, Kyler Pedigo kept AC-S very close early. Pedigo’s three-pointer in the final first quarter seconds lifted the Patriots to a 16-14 lead. The teams traded scores with AC-S pulling even at 20 on a De’Antre Grainger basket with 6:44 left in the first half.
From that point forward, the tables began to turn. Three three-point baskets in the next six minutes keyed a Greenwood charge. AC-S missing eight of their 13 shots in the frame coupled with the Gators’ play left Greenwood with a 35-29 lead at halftime.
Senior Jonah Hamby (11) scored his final two points as a Patriot last Friday night. The four-year high school player tore his ACL earlier this year. Hamby was given the opportunity to start on Senior Night and score the first Patriot points. Hamby’s final numbers are 35 games played, eight starts and 66 total points. (Photo by Don Meador).
Led by Isaiah Summers, Landen Meador and Ethan York, the Gators (20-6) turned their six-point lead into as much as 25 late in the third. The Patriots went cold, hitting only five of their 14 shots while the Gators blistered the nets. Greenwood would hit 10 of 14 shots from the floor and seven of eight free throws to carry a 65-43 lead to the fourth. Greenwood, using mainly reserves for the final frame, won the final eight minutes to notch their 20th win of the season.
AC-S shot 40 percent, making 20 of their 50 shots for the game. At the line, the Patriots were 13 of 18. Greenwood was 30-53 from the game, shooting at a 56.6 percent clip. The gators were 11 of 20 at the line. Greenwood owned the glass, out rebounding AC-S 37-24.
Senior Patriot Tyler Turner (12) attempts to stop a Greenwood shot last Friday in Senior Night action. Turner scored seven points and grabbed three rebounds in the game. (Photo by Don Meador).
Pedigo led the Patriots with 19 points, including four of the Patriots’ five three-point baskets. Ay’Den Grainger finished with 12 points.
AC-S (11-13) has a busy final week of the regular season with contests against three of Region 4’s top teams. Monday, the Patriots host Bowling Green (17-10). The next night, AC-S travels to South Warren (13-9) before wrapping up the regular season at Patriot Gym against Clinton County (20-4) on Thursday.
De’Ante Grainger applied defensive pressure against Greenwood last week. Grainger is one of five seniors recognized last week as part of Senior Night. Grainger had seven points and a team-high five rebounds. (Photo by Don Meador).
