Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

NEW BOSTON — It was a case of good defense and bad luck for the St. Joseph Flyers.
St. Joseph had a strong defensive effort but was hit with some unlucky breaks in the fourth quarter as they fell to the New Boston Tigers 42-34 on Tuesday.
The Flyers (11-3) led by eight points going into the fourth quarter only to be outscored 20-4 and lose by eight.
“Our defense was super. We didn’t shoot the ball very well but New Boston played good defense. It was a real grinder game. We controlled it the whole way until the fourth quarter,” said Flyers’ coach Rex Cooksey.
“We hung in there. We missed a layup a point blank and we gave them four points right at the end. It was just a real physical ballgame. They have some size and we did a good job against them on the boards.”
The Flyers were just 14-of-45 from the field for 31 percent. New Boston was 14-of-35 for 40 percent. The key difference came at the foul line where the Flyers were 2-of-2 and the Tigers were 9-of-18.
Joey McDavid and Chase Walters scored 10 points each for the Flyers. Clay Willis had nine rebounds and Isaac Whaley had seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Zach Roach added seven points and five assists.
New Boston (10-3) was led by Kyle Sexton with 13 points. Kade Conley and Kyle McQuithy added nine each and Tyler Caldwell had eight.
McDavid scored eight points in the first quarter and Walters four as the Flyers took a 12-6 lead.
Conley had five points for New Boston.
New Boston cut the deficit to 18-14 at the half but then Roach hit a 3-pointer and scored five points in the third quarter as St. Joseph went up 30-22.
Roach hurt his knee and was forced to leave the game for about three minutes of the fourth quarter and Walters was whistled for his fourth foul.
Sexton scored eight and Caldwell five in the fourth quarter while the Flyers managed just four points.
“We got some good looks, they just didn’t go in the hole. If we make two or three more shots we probably win that game,” said Cooksey. “We didn’t do anything wrong, it just got away from us really quick.”
The Flyers host Sciotoville East next Monday and Ohio Valley Christian on Tuesday.
St. Joseph    12    6    12    4    =    34
New Boston    6    8    8    20    =    42
ST. JOSEPH (11-3): Isaac Whaley 1 0 0-0 2, Zach Roach 2 1 0-0 7, Clay Willis 0 1 2-2 5, Joey McDavid 2 2 0-0 10, Chase Walters 5 0 0-0 10, Jimmy Mahlmeister 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-45 2-2 34. 3-pt goals: 4-16. Rebounds: 6-O, 18-D = 24 (Willis 9, Whaley 7). Assists: 12 (Roach 5, Whaley 4). Steals: 3 (Whaley 2, Roach 1). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.
NEW BOSTON (10-3): Kade Conley 2 1 2-4 9, Drake Truitt 1 0 1-3 3, Kyle Sexton 4 0 5-9 13, Tyler Caldwell 2 1 1-2 8, Kyle McQuithy 0 3 0-0 9. Totals: 14-35 9-18 42. 3-pt goals: 5-13. Rebounds: 5-O, 18-D =23. Assists: 3. Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.