Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Not even the Lions Club Haunted Tunnel could have created a bigger scare for the New Boston Tigers.
Ranked No.1 in the Associated Press poll, the St. Joseph Flyers didn’t flinch as they took New Boston to the wire before losing 63-60 in a Southern Ohio Conference game.
With the win, the Tigers improved to 18-1 overall and 12-0 in the league as they clinched their first SOC title since 1971.
“I’m very proud of my team’s effort. We could not have played any harder. The difference in the game was Sexton. He is so strong down on the block and we just didn’t have an answer for that in the second half and that wears on you after four quarters,” said Flyers’ coach Chris Barnes.
Ryan Payne scored 15 points with Zach Roach and Jimmy Mahlmeister netting 12 each to pace a balanced Flyers’ offense. J.C. Damron scored 9 and Jared Johnson 8.
Kyle Sexton had 22 points, Tanner Voiers 17 and Chase Clark 10 for New Boston.
Clark hit two 3-pointers and scored 8 points as the Tigers took a 15-10 first quarter lead.
Payne hit a 3-pointer as he and Johnson had 4 points each for the Flyers.
St. Joseph (13-5, 8-4) began to assert itself in the second quarter as Roach and Mahlmeister each hit trifectas and scored 5 points, Payne had a triple as he, Damron and Johnson scored 4 points each and Matthew Sheridan went 2-of-2 at the line to grab a 34-23 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Sexton scored 11 points, Voiers 5 and Grady Jackson 4 as the Tigers cut the deficit to 46-45.
Roach scored 5 points including 3-of-3 at the line while Mahlmeister had 3 points and Payne drained another trey.
Voiers and Jackson combined for 14 of New Boston’s 18 points in the fourth quarter including 4-of-5 at the foul line.
The Flyers got two free throws each from Sheridan and Payne with both Mahlmeister and Payne scoring 4 points in the quarter, but it was not enough against the heavily-favored Tigers.
“Give New Boston credit. They played super hard, especially in the second half. We had an 11-point lead and we did everything we could. We have nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, that should help our stock in the tournament draw,” said Barnes.
On Tuesday, St. Joseph goes to Rock Hill.
New Boston 15 8 22 18 = 63
St. Joseph 10 24 12 14 = 60
NEW BOSTON (18-1, 12-0): Malachi Potts 1 0 0-0 2, Grady Jackson 2 0 2-4 6, Tanner Voiers 4 1 6-10 17, Kyle Sexton 9 0 4-4 22, DeVon Jones 1 0 0-2 2, Marcus Saunders 2 0 0-0 4, Chase Clark 2 2 0-0 10. Totals: 20 3 12-20 63. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.
ST. JOSEPH (13-5, 8-4): Jackson Rowe 0 0 0-0 0, Matthew Sheridan 0 0 4-4 4, Zach Roach 3 1 3-5 12, Ryan Payne 1 3 4-8 15, J.C. Damron 4 0 1-2 9, Jared Johnson 4 0 0-0 8, Jimmy Mahlmeister 4 1 1-1 12. Totals: 16 5 13-20 60. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Damron.