Harding rides 3-pointers to victory over Galion

GALION - Harding wasn't bashful about the long ball Friday night.

The Presidents racked up a dozen 3-pointers en route to a 67-60 Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Red Division boys basketball victory at Galion.

"We're a pretty good 3-point shooting team. We have several guys we're comfortable with taking 3s," Harding coach Don Worstell said.

Five of them hit from the arc against the Tigers. Bryce Starner came off the bench to ring up four from 3-point range, while Ryan Sayre and Tyler Longstreth both had three apiece. Jason Ellis and Brandon Keller also knocked down shots from deep.

"We allowed some of their shooters to feel comfortable and get a little space and they got in a rhythm. When you have two guys score over 20, it's going to be tough to win," Galion coach Colby Bright said.

Longstreth led the Prexies (14-6, 10-3) with 22 points, while Starner contributed 20 and Sayer 11. Longstreth also handed out six assists with five rebounds.

"We're a much better team when we play with pace," Worstell said. "We were trying to get some pace, and we'll give (the Tigers) some credit, but I felt we weren't pushing the envelope as hard as we needed to."

Harding scored on six of its first seven possessions of the game to take a 16-7 lead, but Galion would answer, cutting it to 18-15 by the end of the first quarter. The Tigers continued early in the second period when they scored eight unanswered points to take a 23-18 lead. Galion took a 30-29 lead into halftime.

The Prexies responded out of the break, getting a layup off a steal from Longstreth and back-to-back 3-pointers from Sayre to make it 37-31. Harding didn't trail again.

The Presidents built the lead to 10 in the fourth period, only to see Galion slice it in half within 50 seconds. But there was no panic with Harding, answering with a 6-0 run to put it away.

"I thought our guys stayed calm and kept their composure and completed passes. That's what you've got to do," Worstell said.

Galion guard Houston Blair scored a game-high 27, knocking down four 3-pointers and adding four assists, while Colton Moore also made four from deep to end with 13 points with six rebounds. Galion (11-10, 6-8) made 10 3-pointers.

"They try to take (Blair) out of the game, For him to still have the game like that is a testament to what kind of player he is," Bright said.

Added Worstell: "That's a good win. They made some shots as well. Blair is a good player, a very good player."

Stat Book

Harding 18 11 18 20 - 67

Galion 15 15 12 18 - 60

Harding: Bryce Starner 8 0 20, Jason Ellis 1 1 4, Ryan Sayre 3 2 11, Tyler Longstreth 8 3 22, Taylor Peterson 0 2 2, Brandon Keller 2 1 6, Jesse Ansley 1 0 2. FG 24-48, FT 9-12, 3-pointers 12 (Starner 4, Sayre 3, Longstreth 3, Ellis, Keller), Rebounds 27 (Longstreth 5, Ansley 5, Roger Hamon 5), Turnovers 4, Record 14-6, 10-3 MOAC Red.

Galion: Colton Moore 4 1 13, Josh Eckert 1 0 3, Zach Phelps 3 1 8, Chase Cooke 2 1 5, Houston Blair 8 7 27, Gavin Ratcliff 1 2 4. FG 19-39, FT 12-15, 3-pointers 10 (Moore 4, Blair 4, Eckert, Phelps), Rebounds 23 (Moore 6), Turnovers 4, Record 11-10, 6-8 MOAC Red.

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