Black Bears earn win over Newcomerstown for seniors
WARSAW - After Friday's loss to Coshocton, the River View boys basketball team spoke about that game for less than one minute. All focus was switched to Senior Night against Newcomerstown.
All the then, 3-18, Black Bears wanted to do was get a win for their seniors.
They did that, defeating the Trojans 56-30.
"We played really well. It being senior night you just can't play bad. Everybody comes out to watch it," Jonathan Dart said. "It's a big thing here."
They honored five seniors, Matt Brillhart, Sam Vickers, Tanner Belangia, Dart and transfer-student Fredrik Larsen.
Brillhart finished with seven points, three assists and four steals. Belangia finished with 10 points, five rebounds and two steals. But senior Jonathan Dart stole the show.
He finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Dart came into the night wanting to win this game for his four fellow seniors.
"It's all about the seniors it's not about one person it's about everybody tonight," Dart said.
Everybody got in on the action especially in the third quarter. The Black Bears were leading 23-13 at the half and came out in a press that forced seven turnovers and six steals.
The thought behind the press was to make sure the Trojans didn't make a run getting back into the game.
"We wanted to extend the lead. We knew the way a couple of their kids can score we would have to push it to 15 or 20 and get a little cushion," Trout said. "We executed it well."
It was successful as the Black Bears scored pushing their 10-point lead to 20 ending the third quarter with a 39-19 lead.
The fourth quarter started with a quick 6-0 run by the Trojans, but the Black Bears halted that earning their fourth win of the season pushing their record to 4-18 on the season. And while the season wasn't what they players and staff were expecting, ending it on a win was good feeling for everybody.
"We had higher expectations for the year, but it's like I've told them in the locker room. For everything they have put in they deserve this win. You couldn't ask for nicer or better kids to be part of our program," Trout said.
"To end the season with a win is fantastic. It's been a long season, bumpy roads throughout, haven't been playing the way we wanted, so to win on senior night is amazing," Dart said.
The Black Bears will now travel to Zanesville to play Philo next Friday in the first round of the postseason.
cteaguerob@gannett.com
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Twitter: @cj_teague
Newcomerstown 8-5-6-11 — 30
River View 15-8-16-13-17 — 56
Newcomerstown: 13-43 FG, 4-6 FT, 0-4 3pt. 27 rebounds (Barbera 9), 14 turnovers, 4 Assists, Steals 4 (Septer 2). Scoring: Barbera 5 2-4 12, Kyle 3 0-0 6, Millender 2 0-0 4, Septer 2 0-0 4, Kilpatrick 1 0-0 2, Robinson 0 2-2 2.
River View: 25-53 FG, 3-6 FT, 3-14 3pt. (Belangia 2) 27 rebounds (Dart 7), 5 turnovers, 14 Assists (Orillion 4), Steals 8 (Brillhart 4). Scoring: Dart 9 0-0 18, Belangia 4 0-0 10, Hocter 4 0-2 8, Brillhart 2 2-2 7, Whitehair 2 0-0 4, Gossman 2 0-0 4, Fry 1 0-0 2, Vicker 1 1-2 3.