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Facing off against a Centerville team that included the state’s leader in points per game across all classes, Malachi Rice, the Clarke Indians were unable to overcome the Big Reds as they fell 75-45 last Thursday at home.
Winning the opening tipoff, Centerville worked their way around the key to put up two points, answered by Ryan Diehl with three and a basket by Ethan Danley to give Clarke a 5-2 lead. A basket by Centerville was topped by Danley with two and Peyton Lynn with two at the free-throw line for a 9-4 advantage. A series of rebounds, steals and balls unwilling to fall in the basket plagued both teams as Centerville worked their way up to a one-point deficit 12-11 to end the first quarter.
The second quarter started with the Big Reds poking ahead 16-12 before a three-point shot by Diehl brought the Indians within one point. Clarke would not score again until near the end of the quarter as Centerville added 11 more points to their end. The final four points of the quarter for Clarke came with a basket by Diehl and two shots from the line to go into halftime trailing 29-19.
Centerville made 25 points in the third quarter to Clarke’s 12, with strong defense and fouls causing problems for both teams. Diehl and Lynn made up the scoring for the team in the third, helped with rebounds by Danley.
Starting the fourth quarter down 54-31, Clarke had their highest scoring quarter with 14 points, with their final point coming with just two seconds left in the game from the free-throw line by Tate Shriver.
Overall, Diehl made 23 of the team’s points followed by Lynn with 13. Danley racked up 11 rebounds and Diehl seven. Rafael Avalos made two of the team’s steals.
Clarke hosted Davis County Dec. 16 and beat the Mustangs 79-66. Lynn tallied 33 points in the game that included five made three-point shots while Diehl had 28 points and four made three-point shots. Danley also cracked double-digit points with 10 plus 10 rebounds.
The Indians’ season stands at 2-3. Their first game back from winter break will be Jan. 5 at Woodward-Granger.