Hicks' defensive culture shines in Port Clinton's 57-42 win over Edison

PORT CLINTON — Port Clinton coach Ryan Hicks has emphasized defense since the day he took over the Redskins' boys basketball program last season. Defense, Hicks tells his players, dulls the frustration of a bad shooting night. It forces teams to play your style. And on nights like Saturday, when a canceled JV game hinders a home-court advantage already stymied by COVID-19 protocols, defense supplies the juice necessary to extend a winning streak. Port Clinton beat Edison 57-42 at Port Clinton High School to earn its third straight win. The Redskins did not shoot great — they scored just 19 first-half points — but they defended well enough to win, which was good enough for junior guard Tyler Webb. "It wasn't pretty today at all," Webb said. "But we came out with a dub. We'll take a dub any day." Leading 19-13 to start the third quarter, the Redskins decided Edison's ball-handlers looked too comfortable. They forced seven turnovers over the next eight minutes, four of which led to seven points during the 13-4 run Port Clinton used to break the game open with 2:52 remaining in the third. Webb started the turnover rally, turning an errant Edison pass into a left-handed layup just over a minute into the half. Senior forward Tommy Owens finished it by converting one of two free throws off another Edison mistake four minutes later. The lead ballooned to 21 when Owens scored a layup off a long outlet pass with six minutes left in the fourth. And though Edison senior Dylan O'Dell scored 11 fourth-quarter points (he finished with 15) to help bring Edison within 14, the Chargers could never dig out from under their third-quarter turnover spree. "We struggle a lot when teams get physical with us," Edison coach Kyle Hammond said. "We've got to learn how to handle it 'cause that's the way teams defend in our league." Hammond's Chargers (0-6, 0-4), who led the Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division with 19 turnovers per game entering Saturday, have struggled against pressure defense. But those shortcomings will be magnified without starting guard Grant Ott. He and senior forward Patrick McManus both missed Edison's loss to Port Clinton and will not play "for the foreseeable future," according to Hammond. The Chargers committed only 13 turnovers on Saturday, but seven came during Port Clinton's dominant third quarter. Once the Redskins found their transition groove, they knew they controlled the game. "That's when we start feeling like we're playing at our best level," Webb said. "That's when we get rolling, when we can make a run." At 4-5, Webb and the Redskins are on a run they haven't experienced in some time. They've won three straight for the first time since the 2015-16 season; they're only one 'dub' short of equaling last season's win total. That's after winning just seven combined games between 2016-17 and 2018-19. Thanks to a strong defense, the Redskins are dulling that pain. They're holding opponents to 32.7 points per game during their win streak, which includes a 47-28 victory over a St. Mary Central Catholic (6-3, 4-1 SBC River) team that averages 55 per game. That's the kind of stinginess Hicks envisioned when he took over his alma matter. Hicks, who played for the 2009 state runner-up Redskins, wears the ring he earned from that run on game nights. He jokes about how its ruby-red shine reminds players that the 28-year-old coach knows what he's talking about when he's barking defensive orders. No ring can match the credibility Hicks' Redskins have earned from their on-court performance, however. No team has cracked 60 points against them. Only Bay Division rival Willard can claim a double-digit victory. After their recent three-game stretch, it's fair to wonder: What's happening in Port Clinton? "Nothing's different, nothing's changed," Hicks said. "Just winning a game does so much for their confidence. We've lost so many nip-and-tuck games. As soon as they get a win under their belt, they get a little bit more confidence in what I'm telling them." EDISON (0-6, 0-4) Lincoln Meredith 1 4-6 6, Brady Barker 2 0-0 5, Dylan O'Dell 6 3-4 16, Noah Smith 1 2-4 4, Luke Bissell 1 2-2 4, Clay Byington 1 1-3 3, Andrew Neate 1 0-0 2, Troy Rutherford 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 14 12-19 42 PORT CLINTON (4-5, 1-3) Adam Thorbahn 5 2-4 14, Tyler Webb 4 1-1 9, Elliot Auxter 2 0-0 6, Brayden Spencer 4 0-0 11, Tommy Owens 2 5-8 9, Josh Hurst 1 0-0 2, Lucas Kyle 2 0-0 4 Isaac Phillips 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 21 8-13 57 Edison 7 6 13 16 — 42 Port Clinton 15 4 23 15 — 57 3-point FGs: Edison 2 (Barker, O'Dell); Port Clinton 7 (Spencer 3, Auxter 2, Thorbahn 2)