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SPORTS

Marcus Dempsey helps Tri-Valley boys make history

Sam Blackburn
Reporter

DRESDEN – Tri-Valley picked the perfect time to play arguably its best game of the season.

And it seemed everyone got in on the act.

The Scotties got a game-high 21 points from Marcus Dempsey and several other key contributions while pulling away with points on eight of their last 10 possessions in a 72-63 win against visiting Reynoldsburg in a Division I district game on Wednesday night.

Six different players scored for Tri-Valley, which made 27-of-46 field goals and hit six of their 14 3-pointers.

The Scotties (19-4) advanced to their first D-I district semifinal in school history. They will play either New Albany or Columbus Hamilton Township at 7 p.m. March 12 at a site to be determined.

"Our kids have responded well all year," Tri-Valley coach Todd McLoughlin said. "It's just a good group of kids. What they lack in physical things they make up for with their toughness."

For three quarters, the game traded momentum swings with neither team leading by more than five points.

The Scotties led 45-42 entering the fourth and 52-49 with 4:30 to play, but they carved up the Raiders' defense with precision passing and near-flawless work against the Raiders' pressure en route to 19 points in the final 4:21.

Senior guard Camden Craig spurred the fourth-quarter outburst with all nine of his points, but it was the play of classmates Matt Gray and C.J. Ecleberry that provided breathing room late.

Their steals on consecutive possessions with the game still in doubt led to points and a 58-49 lead with 3:37 to play.

The lead never got below seven the rest of the way as Tri-Valley sank 8-of-9 free throws in the final 2:07.

McLoughlin singled out the play of Gray, who gave his usual strong defense but also chipped in nine points.

"He really turned the corner for us," McLoughlin said. "He hit that big 3 in the (third quarter) and I think he really responded after that. You can usually expect that from Marcus and Cam and Tyler McGee, but you really don't expect that out of him. He just played a great game."

In the end, however, Dempsey made the ultimate difference.

He hit 3s to end the second and third quarters and consistently challenged the Raiders' guards with dribble penetration.

"I got a lot of screens," Dempsey said. "They were face guarding pretty tight, so I had to work off screens. I didn't get many good looks, but I was hitting them I guess."

Dempsey also didn't discount his team's chances against the Raiders, who played in the rough-and-tumble Ohio Capital Conference with the likes of Newark, Pickerington Central and Gahanna, among others.

"We knew we could play with them, we just had to get it in our heads that we were able to compete," Dempsey said.

McLoughlin said it didn't take much convincing.

"In the summer we play as many Central District teams as possible, so our kids are more accustomed to that style of play," McLoughlin said. "I don't think it's that much of a shock to go up against those teams anymore."

Ecleberry finished with 14 points and McGee had 13, which included a pair of first-half 3s to help keep the game close. Daniel Scott chipped in six.

K.J. Walker had eight points and Mark Fair and Lloyd Chatman 15 each for Reynoldsburg.

sblackburnz@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

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Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR