Elyria may be taking the season one game at a time.
However, it’s almost as if the turn of the new year was also a turning of the page for Elyria basketball.
After a 3-4 start to the season to close out 2023, the Pioneers won its third consecutive Southwestern Conference game with a 58-48 win against Amherst on Jan. 12.
Elyria held a temporary 38-37 lead to start the fourth quarter, the Comets countered with a David Dudziak (nine points) basket to take the lead.
The Pioneers’ response was to take control of the fourth quarter, as they outscored Amherst, 20-11 in the final quarter. They also went on a 12-5 run.
“I thought we did a good job of closing out,” Elyria coach Brett Larrick said. “… For the most part, 5-of-6 from the free-throw line (in the fourth quarter) was good. We were contesting 3s without giving up fouls and getting those rebounds.”
Elyria’s charge was led by Taylor Blanton. Though his shot was off in the first quarter to go scoreless, he recovered to score 20 points, along with two steals.
“I was keeping my composure and fighting through adversity,” Blanton said. “I came and shot (around) this morning with Coach (and my teammates). It’s about keep working hard, focus on the next shot and knock it down.”
He was the leading scorer, as Jayden Crutcher (18.6 points per game) endured foul trouble in the second and third quarters. Larrick dug deeper in the bench, as Xavier Church dealt with foul trouble as well.
“Rondell Grimmett (three points) hit a big shot in the fourth quarter. Cam (Bell, four points) had to play more extensive minutes for Church,” Larrick said. “We played 12 guys because of foul trouble tonight and (our depth) has to be to our advantage. Guys have to be ready to step up.”
Amherst made shots, which helped open the game up with a 8-2 run. Ryan Yoder made three 3-point shots. The third came to start the second quarter, after it had led, 14-12, at the start.
Elyria’s offense got going with a 12-3 run to close the second half, with a 30-25 lead.
“I thought we made offense really tough on ourselves,” Larrick said. “I thought on defense that we scrapped, we trapped and got after it and we had something going. We were up by five at half. It was kind of a miracle with the way we were playing offensively.”
As the Pioneers’ offense standout Crutcher missed the tail end of the first half, Blanton knocked down three 3-pointers to fuel the run.
“It comes down to making shots and we didn’t make shots, especially in the second quarter. We missed about three. It is a shot that we practice all the time in practice,” Amherst coach Pat Bray said.
Despite a decrease in minutes, Crutcher scored 11 points. Nine other Pioneers ended up scoring points. B.J. Todd contributed with eight points and six rebounds.
Yoder led Amherst with 14 point and helped set the tone with back-to-back 3-point shots in the beginning of the first quarter.
Eli Solak scored 13. Nine of his points came in the second half. Tristyn Young pitched in with seven points.
Elyria won its third straight game, which followed up from back-to-back wins against North Ridgeville (53-49) and Avon Lake (61-57).
The Pioneers continue to contend with the likes of Berea-Midpark and Avon for a shot at an SWC championship, as they improved to 6-4 (4-1 in SWC). They defeated Amherst seven times out of the last eight matchups.
“It’s one (game) at a time. We have to keep getting better every day in practice. I think that we are starting to work better in practice and it’s going to pay off in the game,” Larrick said.
Amherst lost its third straight, after it dropped SWC games to Avon Lake (84-63) and Olmsted Falls (62-43). The Comets dropped to 5-5 (1-4 in SWC).
Elyria will look to keep its momentum going as it will host Midview on Jan. 16. Amherst will also host an SWC game on Jan. 16 against Avon.
“In the last two games before this, we haven’t played well. There are some things that we tried to clean up and we did. We still have some other stuff that we have to clean up,” Coach Bray said. “We played better, but we can’t be satisfied and they know it. We have Avon on (Jan. 16) and we have to prepare for Avon. I told them that Avon beat (Elyria), so we have to make sure that we are prepared.”
THE SCORE
Elyria 58, Amherst 48
