Derrick Webb, Managing Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
WAVERLY — If you’re matched up with Peebles, make sure you grab your running shoes.
You’re going to need them and, if you’re not in shape, you’re going to need oxygen.
The Indians’ fast-paced offense showed up and showed out in Monday’s Division VI district semifinal at Waverly’s Downtown Gym.
With what seemed to be a non-stop motor, backed by four double-digit scorers, Peebles (19-3) handed Waterford a 69-58 loss to advance.
“It’s how our kids play best,” Peebles coach Josh Arey said. “There are times during the game where we need to slow down and run our stuff. But it’s how they excel. Playing fast. Connor [Gross] does a nice job at the point [guard position], finding guys out front and when we do that, and we do what we’re supposed to be doing when we’re doing that, we’re pretty good.”
CREDIT: Raymond Gleadle/SOSA
Peebles’ Josh McClary was more than pretty good on Monday night. He was exceptional.
While Waterford gave Peebles a game, McClary made sure it was never that close. Each and every time the Wildcats would throw a punch, the junior had an answer on the other end.
He finished with a game-high 22 points — eight points higher than his season average of 14.3.
“[McClary] is something special,” Arey said. “He’s a kid that can get to the rim. He’s a good athlete. But he shoots it well, too. So the sky is really the limit for him to get better and better. He’s so quick off the bounce, and just that first step is lightning. It makes him tough to guard.”
McClary started the night’s scoring festivities with a bucket at the 7:04 mark in the first quarter. After Waterford’s Avery Pottmeyer answered on the other end, Gross got involved before McClary later scored again, giving the Indians an early 8-5 lead.
It only grew from there.
Keegan Puckett made it a 10-5 tally and Bo Johnson later put Peebles ahead 17-13. Just before the quarter ended, Johnson sank two freebies to make it 19-13 heading to the second.
PHOTOS: Images from Peebles’ district semifinal win over Waterford
Johnson and McClary added back-to-back scores to begin the second, polishing off a 9-0 run for a 23-13 count, and McClary pushed the lead to 28-14 with a 3-ball at the 6:27 mark.
By the three-minute mark in the second, that 14-point advantage was still intact at 35-21. However, Waterford mounted momentum and, behind Reese Lang and Gavin Hiener, the Wildcats were able to erode the deficit to 39-32 by halftime.
However, in the third quarter, Peebles didn’t look like they’d been running for 16 straight minutes. In fact, the Indians looked as if they had fresh legs, and they used it to their advantage.
Colyn Sims put Peebles ahead by a 45-34 count before McClary later kept that double-digit lead intact at the end of the frame, adding a lay-in with 52.3 seconds left for a 55-45 score.
While the Wildcats attempted to respond several times, Peebles simply had an answer at every turn, putting away an 11-point win to punch their Convo tickets.
“[Waterford] was a lot bigger and a lot stronger, and it concerned us,” Arey said. “They killed us on the boards, but we wanted to try to speed them up as much as we could. We had some opportunities, I felt like, where we could’ve taken some charges and maybe negated some of their lay-ups. But any time you get on a big floor, and you’ve got depth, we’re going to use that to our advantage.”
Following McClary’s 22-point effort was Paxton Ryan with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists. Meanwhile, Johnson added 11 points as well and Sims finished with 10 points and four boards off the bench.
The Wildcats (11-12) were led by Lang, who ended with 18 points, while Pottmeyer added 15 points, four rebounds and three assists. Finnley Pennock also helped out, turning in a double-double of 10 points, 11 boards and three helpers.
While Waterford’s season comes to a close, Peebles advances to a Division VI district championship game at 2 p.m., Sunday at Ohio University’s Convocation Center.
The Indians will face Eastern Pike, who defeated Huntington to advance.
“We have to connect defensively and be a unit out there,” Arey said. “And we have to rebound on the defensive end. I’m not sure what Waterford shot at the line tonight, but if they shot free throws just a touch better, we’re in a lot of trouble. So if we can connect defensively and rebound, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
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