HAMILTON — Donovan Watkins knelt down and kissed the court and the Badin High School seniors accounted for every point on Senior Night as the host Rams knocked off league champion Kettering Alter, 58-52, in GCL Coed division boys basketball action at Badin’s Mulcahey Gym Friday night.
Watkins, a 5-foot-9 guard, buried a huge three-point field goal in the late going to give Badin a 46-43 lead, and the Rams made clutch play after clutch play down the stretch to count the victory before a packed house in the regular season finale.
Zach Switzer led Badin with 21 points, and his three-point play off a layup gave Badin a working margin, 49-43, as the Rams closed it out to finish 17-5 overall, 10-4 in the GCL.
Josh Hegemann scored 12 of his 17 points in the first half for Badin, which led 29-26 at the break, only to see Alter rally to lead by two, 38-36, at the third stop.
Watkins countered with 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter and Badin’s trio of Watkins (10), Switzer (8) and Hegemann (4) scored all of the Rams’ 22 points in the final stanza.
Alter got 14 points from 6-foot-8 senior Conor Stolly, while senior Richard Kolb and sophomore Jacob Conner chipped in with 11 and 10 points, respectively for the Knights, who fell to 17-4 overall, 12-2 in the GCL.
Alter counted 10 three-point field goals and just six two-pointers. Their last two triples cut Badin’s lead to 56-52 with 13 seconds remaining, but Watkins hit two free throws and Alter missed from deep to count the final score.
An attacking Badin offense won it at the foul line, converting 22-of-29 free throws, 11-of-17 in the fourth quarter. Alter was 10-of-19 from the line for the game.
Badin opens Division II tournament play against GCL foe Roger Bacon at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Mason High. Alter has its season finale Saturday night, Feb. 15, vs. Bethel-Tate.
Alter 15 11 12 14 — 52
Badin 16 13 7 22 — 58
Alter (17-4, 12-2) — Jacob Conner 3 1 10; Jack Smith 1 2 8; Conor Stolly 4 4 14; Brady Uhl 2 2 6; Richard Kolb 3 2 11; Brian Shane 1 1 3; Totals: 16 10 52
Badin (17-5, 10-4) — Josh Hegemann 7 3 17; Donovan Watkins 1 9 12; Zach Switzer 7 6 21; Spencer Giesting 1 2 4; Alex DeLong 1 0 2; Marshall Flaig 0 2 2; Totals: 17 22 58
Three-point FGs: A (10) — Conner 3, Kolb 3, Smith 2, Stolly 2; B (2) — Switzer, Watkins
Content provided by Dirk Q. Allen, who is the Director of Admissions and Media Relations at Badin High School.
