HAMILTON — Badin scored the last 16 points of the first quarter and rolled to a 68-31 Senior Night victory over visiting Talawanda in boys basketball action at Mulcahey Gym on Tuesday night.
Badin put 11 players in the scorebook — three in double figures — in winning its fifth game in a row and 8th in the last nine starts. Junior Cooper Ollis and sophomore Eli Stroud each marked 11 points for the Rams, and Grant Wissman added 10 as Badin improved to 11-9 on the season.
Badin pushed a 4-4 tie out to a 20-4 lead after the first quarter and extended the margin from there, playing with a running clock following the first two baskets of the fourth quarter.
It was Senior Night as Badin recognized eight seniors — typical starters Aidan Brown, Alex Ritzie and Grant Wissman, along with support players Drew Enginger, Spencer Fiehrer, Cameron Mueller and Connor Wright, as well as manager Luke Franchini.
Talawanda put three players in double figures, but that was all the points they had in closing the regular season with a 2-20 record. Senior Bryce James scored 11 points for Talawanda, while juniors Cale Leitch and Sam Lippman added 10 apiece.
Badin finishes the regular season with a double weekend — at Kettering Alter Friday night, and then home against Mount Healthy on Saturday in a 5 p.m.varsity tip. Talawanda faces top-seeded Moeller in its tournament opener on Thursday, Feb. 22, in a 6 p.m. tip at Fairfield High.
Talawanda 4 12 6 9 — 31
Badin 20 16 17 15 — 68
Talawanda (2-20) — Sam Lippman 2 5 10; Bryce James 5 0 11; Cale Leitch 3 3 10; Totals: 10 8 31
Badin (11-9) — Connor Wright 2 0 6; Alex Ritzie 1 0 2; Drew Enginger 0 3 3; Spencer Fiehrer 1 0 2; Cameron Mueller 2 0 6; Cooper Ollis 4 1 11; Grant Wissman 4 0 10; Eli Stroud 5 0 11; Aidan Brown 3 0 6; Carson Lowe 1 0 3; James Brink 4 0 8; Totals: 27 4 68
Three-point FGs: T (3) — Lippman, James, Leitch; B (10) — Wright 2, Mueller 2, Ollis 2, Wissman 2, Stroud, Lowe
