Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

ATHENS — The key to success in high school athletics is having a lot of seniors and experience.
With four veteran seniors in the lineup, the Peebles Indians toppled the Green Bobcats 75-56 in the Division IV district championship on Saturday at Ohio University’s Convocation Center.
The district appearance was the second in the past four years for the Peebles’ seniors.
Conversely, Green was making its first district appearance since 2005 and Rylee Maynard was the Bobcats’ only senior. Green coach Dirk Hollar said the experience factor was the difference.
“We’ve never been here before. These kids have never played in the Convo. Arey has been here for the past four years. That just sums it up. It’s experience and seniors,” said Hollar.
“Hopefully, we can come back and I’ll be talking next year sand saying it’s our seniors. You don’t realize it, but it is a big experience.”
Green (16-8) was led by Tanner Kimbler with 14 points, Gage Sampson with 12 points and Zach Huffman had 11.
Tayte Carver and Sampson had five rebounds each.
Peebles (20-5) had four players in double figures led by Tanner Arey with 23 points and Weston Browning with 21 points and seven assists. Bostin Robinson had 15 points and 15 rebounds while Blake Hawes scored 10 points and had eight rebounds.
Peebles took a 6-0 lead and never trailed in the game.
Green got within 11-8 on a layup by Huffman at the 2:32 mark of the first quarter. Browning then made two foul shots, Arey drained a 3-pointer and a layup by Blake Smalley put Peebles up 22-13 at the end of the quarter.
A 3-pointer and layup by Browning opened up a 36-23 lead for the Indians with 2:19 to go in the half. Maynard hit a 3-pointer to make it 36-26. A foul shot by Robinson made it 41-30 at the half.
Robinson converted a three-point play and it was 47-32 at the 6:51 mark of the third quarter.
But Green got a putback by Carver, Kimbler drilled a 3-poitner and Sampson followed up a missed foul shot with a layup and the Bobcats were down 47-39.
“They’ve done that the whole entire year. They’ve been after it every single game. I knew they were going to continue to fight for me and get after it,” said Hollar.
“Even the guys who came in at the end were diving on the floor and it was nice to see. As a coach, I was happy to see how we played effort-wise. We couldn’t knock down the shots and we didn’t.”
Browning sank four foul shots over the final 1:19 of the quarter as Peebles went up 57-41.
Layups by Arey and Hawes opened up a 67-49 lead midway through the fourth quarter as the Indians settled the outcome.
Reflecting on the season, Hollar took a moment to talk about his lone senior Maynard.
“We’ve been in some bad places together, and we’ve had some of the happiest moments together. He was one of the first people I wanted to give a big hug to. We had an emotional moment together,” said Hollar.
“We have a group of juniors and sophomores and freshmen and only one senior. I’d love to be back here talking about a victory next year in this situation.”
Peebles will play Coal Grove at 8 p.m. on Tuesday in the regional semifinals at Ohio University.
Peebles    22    19    16    18    =    75
Green          13    17    11    15    =    56
PEEBLES (20-5): Connor Browning 1 0 0-0 2, Tanner Arey 5 3 4-4 23, Bostin Robinson 6 0 3-5 15, Blake Hawes 5 0 0-0 10, Weston Browning 5 1 8-9 21, Colten Ball 0 0 0-0 0, Blake Smalley 2 0 0-0 4, Alex Camp 0 0 0-0 0, Dylan Shulaw 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Lightner 0 0 0-0 0, Andrew Shannon 0 0 0-0 2, Gage Crothers 0 0 0-0 0, Dawson Mills 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 29-67 15-18 75. 3-pt goals: 4-10. Rebounds: 22-O, 21-D = 43 (Robinson 15, Hawes 8). Team/deadball rebounds: 8. Assists: 12 (W. Browning 7). Steals: 2 (Robinson 2). Turnovers: 4. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
GREEN (16-8): Caden Blizzard 2 0 0-0 4, Gage Sampson 4 1 1-2 12, Tanner Kimbler 2 2 4-4 14, Zach Huffman 5 0 1-2 11, Tayte Carver 4 0 0-2 8, Rylee Maynard 0 1 0-0 3, Ethan Huffman 2 0 0-0 4, Troy Otworth 0 0 0-0 0, Trevor Darnell 0 0 0-0 0, Caden Brammer 0 0 0-0 0, Levi Singleton 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-53 6-10 56. 3-pt goals: 4-12. Rebounds: 9-O, 14-D = 23 (Sampson 5, Carver 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 4. Assists: 6 (Sampson 3). Steals: 2. Turnovers: 4. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.