Half-court tournament stunner

MONROEVILLE — The Plymouth boys basketball team didn't need a miracle in the final seconds of Wednesday's Division IV sectional semifinal at Monroeville. But it got one, anyway. Inbounding the ball with 4.3 seconds left, the Big Red got the ball to guard Clayton Miller. He caught the ball from the right side, then from about a foot behind the half-court line. Miller's shot splashed through the hoop — nothing but net — for the stunning 3-pointer at the buzzer in a 57-54 win inside the Monroeville Athletic Complex. With the win, the No. 11-seeded Big Red (6-17) advanced to Friday's sectional championship game at No. 2 Margaretta (14-8). Plymouth played from in front for most of the game against the No. 6-seeded Eagles (12-9). Tied at 17 after one quarter, the Big Red scored the first eight points of the second to open up a 25-17 lead. Monroeville responded to get back within striking distance, but the Big Red maintained a 30-27 halftime lead. The Eagles took a 42-40 lead into the fourth quarter, as a 3-pointer just before the quarter buzzer gave them the lead. Monroeville trailed 54-52 with 16.1 seconds left. Out of a timeout, Isaac Roeder inbounded the ball to Aidan Goodwin on left wing. He dribbled to the top of the key, then toward the rim when he was able to pass to his left and find a streaking Trevor Schafer for an easy layup from the left side to tie the game at 54 with 4.3 seconds left. That set up the theatrics for Miller, who scored 10 of his team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. Zeth Goth and Gavin Bishop each added 15 points for Plymouth, which lost at Monroeville by a 55-38 score on Dec. 18, and by a 68-50 final on Jan. 29 at home. Roeder and Jimmy Clingman each scored 18 points for the Eagles, with Schafer adding 10 points. PLYMOUTH (6-17) Clayton Miller 6-0—16; Cason Tucker 2-0—4; Trace McVey 0-1—1; Josh Beebe 2-1—6; Zeth Goth 5-1—15; Gavin Bishop 5-3—15. TOTALS 20-6—57. MONROEVILLE (12-9) Aidan Goodwin 1-2—5; Trevor Schafer 4-2—10; Merrit Key 1-0—3; Isaac Roeder 7-3—18; Jimmy Clingman 7-1—18. TOTALS 20-8—54. Plymouth 17 13 10 17 — 57 Monroeville 17 10 15 12 — 54 3-point FGs: (P) (M) Clingman 3, Goodwin, Key, Roeder Crestline 60, New London 45 CRESTLINE — The No. 10-seeded Wildcats saw their season come to a close in Wednesday's sectional semifinal loss to the host No. 7 Bulldogs. Crestline advances to Friday's 7 p.m. sectional championship game at No. 3 St. Paul (15-5). The Wildcats finished the season with a 3-16 record. DIVISION III Willard 64, Edison 40 WILLARD — The Crimson Flashes won their seventh straight game by jumping on visiting Edison early in Wednesday's sectional semifinal victory inside Robert L. Haas Gymnasium. The No. 3-seeded Flashes (17-5) will host No. 8 Elmwood (13-10), a 52-49 winner on Wednesday at Seneca East, at 7 p.m. Friday in the sectional championship game in Willard. In Wednesday's win, Trey Paxton connected on four 3-pointers and scored a game-high 18 points. Myles Paxton scored 10 points, while Cole Weiss had eight, and Max Dawson and Austin Adelman each scored seven. Edison (1-21), which had snapped a 33-game losing streak on Feb. 20 at New London, was led by Dylan O'Dell's 10 points. Grant Ott and Lincoln Meredith each scored eight. EDISON (1-21) Grant Ott 3-0—8; Dylan O'Dell 3-3—10; Lincoln Meredith 3-0—8; Luke Bissell 2-0—6; Jalen Kegarise 1-0—3; Clay Byington 1-0—2; Andrew Neate 1-0—3. TOTALS 14-3—40. WILLARD (17-5) Trey Paxton 7-0—18; Cole Weiss 3-1—8; Max Dawson 3-0—7; Austin Adelman 2-3—7; Myles Pinkston 5-0—10; Micah Dawson 2-0—4; Trey Mock 2-0—6; Jake Cok 2-0—4. TOTALS 26-4—64. Edison 9 7 10 14 — 40 Willard 19 22 14 9 — 64 3-point FGs: (E) Ott 2, Bissell 2, Meredith 2, O'Dell, Kegarise, Neate; (W) Paxton 4, Mock 2, Weiss, Max Dawson