SPORTS

Port Clinton digs hole in SBC setback

Matthew Horn
Reporter

Von Graffin once coached a team that shut out the opposition for a quarter.

He didn't enjoy the scoreless experience reciprocated Friday as Port Clinton failed to register a point in the first quarter in a 63-40 setback to visiting Huron in the Sandusky Bay Conference. The Tigers canned 11 3-pointers for the game.

"It's a tough loss for us when it comes to the league," Graffin said. "The rim got big for (Huron) and for us it got smaller and smaller. You have to back up quality wins with quality wins. This team has never been picked to win anything — we're always the hunter. We have to back up a Perkins win with a Huron win.

"Then the program's headed in the right direction. It's one game. It's simple. They made shots and we didn't."

Port Clinton (8-10, 5-4) beat the Pirates last week. Huron (8-7, 7-3) made 6 of 9 shots behind the arc in the first half Friday and Kyle Kovach scored 12 of his team-high 16 points on 3s.

The Redskins matched Huron's 40 points after the first quarter. Port Clinton, however, trailed 23-0 entering the second quarter and didn't score until Joey Brenner's free throws with 7:41 left in the half.

"The shots we got early were the shots we wanted," Graffin said. "Once we missed a few, it affected us defensively and they got going. We kept competing. (Huron) made shots. We have to shoot it better."

Ben Mueller scored the Redskins' first field goal with 5:20 remaining for a 23-4 deficit.

"We shot from 3 very well," Tigers coach Bobby James said. "That might be the best all year. We moved the ball. It started like five or six games ago. They know where each other is supposed to be. They're getting open shots."

Port Clinton is 7-1 when it scores 50 points or more. Graffin wants his kids to be confident in games such as Friday's.

"These guys haven't won anything," he said. "It's hard to believe when you haven't won."

Brenner finished with a game-high 17 points and created several second — and even third — opportunities. He did so despite picking up his second foul early in the first half and added a 3.

"He did some nice things," Graffin said.

mhorn@gannett.com

419-734-7519

Twitter:@MatthewHornNH

STAT BOOK

Huron 23-7-16-17-63

Port Clinton 0-9-17-14-40

Huron: 3-point goals: 11. Scoring: Sam James 1-0-3, Kyle Kovach 5-2-16, Joey Harkelroad 4-2-10, Mike Hurst 5-1-14, Will Springer 3-1-7, Weston Lee 1-0-3, Brandon Dowell 2-0-4, Casey VanCauwenbergh 2-0-6. Totals 23-6-63.

Port Clinton: 3-point goals: 3. Scoring: Kaleb Mizener 1-0-3, Ben Mueller 3-0-6, Ryan Alexander 0-2-2, Tytan Rumball 3-1-7, Matt Paeth 1-0-3, Joey Brenner 5-6-17, Stone Scott 1-0-2. Totals 14-9-40.