Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

CHILLICOTHE — When you can’t find your offense, you turn to your defense.

The Chesapeake Panthers used a strong defensive effort to win the Chillicothe Holiday Tournament this weekend.

The Panthers beat the Chillicothe Cavaliers 42-40 in the championship game Saturday. Chesapeake beat the Lancaster Golden Gales 47-45 on Friday in the semifinals.

“Chillicothe is an athletic team. We were pretty good defensively. We controlled the tempo on them,” said Panthers’ coach Ryan Davis.

“But we’re still turning the ball over too many times.”

Chesapeake jumped out to a 9-0 lead against the Cavaliers only to have Chillicothe rally to trail 9-8 at the end of the quarter.

The Panthers led 19-17 at the half but the Cavaliers tied the game at 29 to end the third quarter.

Andrew Saunders scored 8 points in the fourth quarter including 6 from the foul line as the Panthers outscored Chillicothe 13-11 to get the win.

Saunders finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Brad Meadows had 12 points and 6 rebounds and Caleb Heffner grabbed 7 rebounds.

Tommy Bolte scored 20 points for the Cavaliers (4-3).

In Friday’s semifinals, Heffner scored 15 points and had 8 rebounds to lead the Panthers’ win.

Gage Rhoades scored 12 points and Saunders added 9 points and 9 rebounds.

Lancaster’s Andrew Whitt had 14 points and Tristan Pierce 13 to lead the Division I school.

Saturday’s Championship

Chesapeake 9 10 10 13 = 42

Chillicothe 8 9 12 11 = 40

CHESAPEAKE (7-3): Blake Lester 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Carpenter 0 0 0-0 0, Nate Smith 3 0 0-0 6, Gage Rhoades 0 0 2-5 2, Brad Meadows 5 0 2-3 12, Caleb Heffner 0 0 4-6 4, Andrew Saunders 2 2 6-8 16, Aaron Thompson 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 13-35 14-22 42. 3-point goals: 2-8. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 28 (Saunders 8, Heffner 7, Meadows 6). Turnovers: 18.

CHILLICOTHE (4-3): Nate Rosenbauer 0 1 1-3 4, Tommy Bolte 6 1 5-6 20, Nolan Taylor 1 0 0-0 2, Quintin Davidson 2 0 0-0 4, Isaiah Johnson 1 0 2-2 4, Matthew Benson 3 0 0-0 6, Totals: 15-42 8-10 40. 3-point goals: 2-13. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 22. Turnovers: 15.

Friday’s Semifinal

Chesapeake 9 11 17 10 = 47

Lancaster 5 6 14 20 = 45

CHESAPEAKE (6-3): Blake Lester 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Carpenter 3 0 1-1 7, Nate Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Gage Rhoades 2 2 2-3 12, Brad Meadows 2 0 0-2 4, Caleb Heffner 7 0 1-2 15, Andrew Saunders 3 1 0-0 9, Aaron Thompson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17 3 4-8 47. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: 16. Rebounds: 28 (Saunders 9, Heffner 8).

LANCASTER (0-8): Andrew Whitt 2 2 4-6 14, Connor McCandish 1 1 4-4 9, Tristan Pierce 3 2 1-1 13, Austin Miller 2 0 1-3 5, J.D. Arbuckle 1 0 0-0 2, Jacob Bacus 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 10 5 10-14 45. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: 12. Rebounds: 24.