Willard's 2nd half sinks Port Clinton

PORT CLINTON -- The script was eerily similar. Port Clinton led by 11 points in the first quarter Wednesday night against Willard. The Redskins even led by the same exact score as they did last Friday in a road win over the Flashes. Unlike last week, PC couldn't finish this one. Trey Paxton tallied 23 points and eight rebounds, lifting Willard past Port Clinton 58-50 in Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division action. "We just didn't play well in the second half," Port Clinton coach Ryan Hicks said. "They held us to six points in the third quarter and outscored us by 13. Against a good team like that, you have to play a little better. We shot the ball better on Friday night." The final score is just one point off from the Redskins' 58-49 win in Willard last Friday. This time, Willard used a 19-6 third quarter edge to turn back PC (9-5, 3-4 SBC Bay). "I thought in the second half we played a little bit better defensively," Willard coach Joe Bedingfield said. "I thought our energy was bad coming out. We gave up too many easy looks." Port Clinton found itself ahead by 11 points in the first quarter and maintained that margin in the second quarter after Tyler Webb hit a 3-pointer. Paxton scored consecutive baskets for Willard (10-6, 3-4) before the 3 and added back-to-back tallies after it. But, despite eight straight from the Willard senior, Brayden Spencer knocked in two free throws to give Port Clinton a 31-22 lead at halftime. The Flashes owned the third quarter to take control. Aiden Slone hit a 3 and Cam Robinson scored to slice the lead to four points. Later, Paxton scored and Robinson's three-point play cut the PC margin to 33-32. "To start the third quarter, we missed three layups," Hicks said. "We could have pushed the lead to 15 points and maybe we would be having a different conversation. We horsed around with the ball and didn't finish. Willard is good." Port Clinton used buckets from Josh Hurst and Spencer to push the lead back to five points, but Willard scored the last nine of the third quarter for a 41-37 lead. "I don't think Willard did anything different," Hicks said. "I just think Paxton is really good. I think he settled a little bit Friday because tonight he was trying to take it to the basket. He made some circus shots early that maybe got him going." Hurst and Spencer knocked in 3s to open the fourth quarter for PC, but it was the Redskins' last lead. Max Dawson nailed two free throws before Paxton's 3-point play gave Willard a 46-43 advantage with 3:53 left. The Flashes used tough defense to make possessions for PC difficult. Paxton scored on a putback to make it a five-point lead before Adam Thorbahn answered for the Redskins. That was the closest Port Clinton got over the final two minutes. Willard, which typically struggles at the free throw line, made 11 of 16 in the final quarter. "There's no question that free throws have been an issue," Bedingfield said. "It is something you keep working on. You try to rep different ways to go about it. Tonight was much better than we have been shooting." Robinson backed Dawson's big night with 16 points while Dawson added 13. "Port Clinton came out playing really well the first game and again tonight," Bedingfield said. "The difference was our kids responded earlier than the first time we played them. I thought defensively we played with a little more energy." Webb finished with 18 points for PC while Hurst scored 13. The Redskins made just 18 of 46 shots and committed 15 turnovers. "I like where we are at," Hicks said. "I really wish we could have had more time at the beginning of the season to have some practices and played those games with more practice. We are really just trying to get better every day." WILLARD (10-6, 3-4) Trey Paxton 10 3-6 23, Cole Weiss 0 0-0 0, Max Dawson 3 6-8 13, Aiden Slone 2 0-0 6, Cam Robinson 6 4-4 16. TOTALS 21 13-18 58 PORT CLINTON (9-5, 3-4) Brayden Spencer 2 2-2 7, Tyler Webb 6 2-2 18, Jackson Beasley 2 0-0 4, Josh Hurst 6 0-0 13, Adam Thorbahn 2 3-3 8. TOTALS 18 7-7 51 Willard 9 13 19 17 -- 58Port Clinton 18 13 6 13 -- 51 Three-point goals -- Willard 3 (Slone 2, Dawson); PC 7 (Webb 4, Spencer, Hurst, Thorbahn)