The last time which I had witnessed the young men of Xenia High School
(XHS) participate in a sport was back on Friday, October 30, 2015. On that very
night inside of Fairborn, Ohio’s Fairborn Memorial Stadium, the
Buccaneers soundly defeated The Fairborn High School (FHS) Skyhawks 52-7. That
was a “Football Game.” After that game, it was one, big-time celebration. If I
had not known any better, I would have been under the impression that XHS had
just won some sort of championship. The Buccaneers’ players celebrated (on the sideline).
Friends congratulated the players. Parents hugged their sons. Pictures were
taken. One might ask, why was the celebration so big for a Season-ending,
Regular Season Football Game? Allow me to explain. First, XHS had just defeated
an archrival (FHS). Next, Buccaneers Nation was celebrating the careers of a
group of players. A very accomplished group of XHS Buccaneers had just played
their final High School Football Game. Now, fast forward to tonight (Saturday,
December 12, 2015). Currently, I am sitting inside of XHS’s Blue Pit Gymnasium.
In mere minutes, the Buccaneers will be facing The Centerville High School
(CHS) Elks. However, this will not be a football game. Instead, a “Basketball
Game” is about to commence.
Xenia
won the game’s tip-off. At 7:38, Danny Naylor nailed a 3-Point Basket. Soon
enough, Centerville’s Keegan Saben found himself at the Free Throw Line. He
went on to successfully make 2-Foul Shots (7:19). After the Buccaneers turn the ball over, the
Elks’ Jevon Henderson made a 2-Point Basket (6:59). From 6:34 to 6:18, CHS commits
1-Turnover. XHS’s Rocky James went on a 4-0 Scoring Run. The Elks countered
with a 5-0 run. Kevin Meiners hit a 3-Point Basket. During the run, XHS committed
a Turnover. After the Buccaneers committed another Turnover, CHS’s Saben goes
on a 4-0 run. The Elks committed an Offensive Foul. However, that violation did
not hurt the team. From 2:42 to 1:08, CHS committed 2-Turnovers. XHS committed
1-Turnover. The Elks outscored the Buccaneers 3-2. Alec Grandin made a 3-Point
Basket.
With
39.2 Seconds remaining in the 1st Quarter, Centerville nailed a
3-Point Basket. After Rocky James picks up 2-Points, Saben picks up 2-Points
too. At the end of the 1st Quarter, Centerville leads Xenia 21-11.
As the 2nd Quarter got underway, Centerville had the ball. At 7:31,
Saben makes a 2-Point Basket. With 6:37 on the clock, Xenia’s Ray James makes a
2-Point Basket. Before a Timeout at 4:24, XHS outscores CHS 5-4. Grandin is
responsible for the Elks’ 4-Points. The Elks lead the Buccaneers 27-18.
Twenty-five seconds after the Timeout (3:59), the Buccaneers’ Samari Curtis
made 2-Foul Shots. After CHS turns the ball over, Rocky James makes a 2-Point
Basket. During the play, he was fouled. After he successfully makes 1-Foul
Shot, XHS trailed CHS by 4-Points (27-23). Twenty seconds later (3:21), the
Elks’ Donnie Shelton makes a 2-Point Basket. Although he was fouled too,
Shelton was unable to make his 1-Foul Shot.
At
the 3:11 mark, Naylor makes a 2-Point Basket. Saben goes on to make a Foul
Shot. Before a Timeout (39.7 Seconds), Xenia commits 2-Turnovers. Centerville
had 1-Turnover. Saben makes 2-Foul Shots too (1:44). With 2.1 Seconds remaining
in the 2nd Quarter, Saben makes a 2-Point Basket. At the end of the
2nd Quarter and First Half, CHS leads XHS 34-25. Centerville has the
Height and Power Advantage. Xenia has the Speed Advantage. However, Centerville
has taken the speed advantage away from the Buccaneers. Centerville has been
running Xenia up-and-down the court (at a very fast pace). Also, the 3-Point
Basket has been a VERY DANGEROUS WEAPON (for Centerville). The use of it has
created some separation from Xenia. The Elks do a great job of shooting away
from the basket. Either 3-Point Basket Shot Attempts will be taken, or 2-Point
Shots will be taken.
Now,
Centerville has done a very good job of going to the basket (for Shot
Attempts). Simply put, the Elks are finding all kinds of different ways to score
and confuse the Buccaneers. After the Halftime Break ended, Xenia had
possession of the ball. At 7:49, Ryan Johnson nailed a 3-Point Basket. Each
team went on to commit 1-Turnover. With 7:14 on the scoreboard, Henderson makes
a 2-Point Basket. At the 6:19 mark, Ray James picks up 2-Points. After
Centerville turns the ball over, Naylor was at the basket. As he went up for a
Shot Attempt, his shot was blocked. At 5:12, Saben makes a 2-Point Basket.
Naylor soon blocked a shot himself. The Buccaneers end up stealing the ball
away. With 4:22 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Johnson makes a
2-Point Basket. With the clock saying 3:35, the Elks’ Adam Velasco nailed a
3-Point Basket. Then, teammate Saben makes a 2-Point Basket. A Timeout is
called (2:52). The Elks lead the Buccaneers 43-32.
After
the Timeout, Naylor makes a 2-Point Basket (2:45). During the play, he was
fouled. He was hurt too. Naylor had to leave the game. Garett Salyers came into
the game, and he takes Naylor’s 1-Foul Shot. Salyers successfully makes the
Foul Shot. From 2:39 to 1:20, Centerville commits 3-Turnovers. Xenia committed
1-Turnover. The Elks’ Daniel Buchenroth nailed a 3-Point Basket (2:16). At the
end of the 3rd Quarter, Centerville possesses an 11-Point Lead
(46-35). At 7:27 of the 4th Quarter, Centerville picks up 2-Points.
Xenia responds with a 4-0 run. With 5:14 on the clock, the Elks’ Patrick Smith
makes a 2-Point Basket. CHS goes on to turn over the ball. Then, Naylor obtains
2-Points (4:42).
With
4:09 remaining in the game, Buchenroth makes 2-Foul Shots. At 4:01, Rocky James
makes 1-Foul Shot. At 4:00, Ryan Johnson makes 1-Foul Shot. Before a Full
Timeout at 2:34, each team obtains a Steal. Also, Xenia’s Defense made a good
play. As one of Centerville’s players went up for a Shot Attempt, the
Buccaneers blocked the shot. From 2:30 to 1:58, the Elks commit 2-Turnovers.
The Buccaneers had 1-Turnover. Johnson makes a 2-Point Basket. At 1:49, Saben makes 2-Foul Shots. Eleven
seconds later (1:38), Ray James makes a 2-Point Basket. With 1:37 remaining in
the game, a Timeout was called. At the 1:28 mark, Johnson makes a 2-Point
Basket. With 1:27 on the clock, a Timeout is called. With 1:15 on the
scoreboard, a Timeout is called.
At
1:14, Saben is fouled. He steps to the Free Throw Line. Both of Saben’s Foul
Shots were good. With 53.0 Seconds remaining in the game, Xenia stole the ball
away. At the 49.8 Seconds mark, the Buccaneers’ Samari Curtis makes a 2-Point
Basket. During the play, he was fouled. He goes on to successfully make 1-Foul
Shot. With 24.6 Seconds on the clock, Saben is fouled. He makes his 2-Foul
Shots. With 17.7 Seconds on the scoreboard, Johnson picked up 2-Points. The
game’s final point was scored at 9.9 Seconds. The Elks’ Kevin Meiners makes
1-Foul Shot. At the end of the game, Centerville defeats Xenia 59-54. The
Buccaneers did everything they could to try for the win. However, they were
never able to overcome the Elks’ lead. Every time Xenia got close and looked
like it would overcome Centerville, the Elks made a big play. As a result, Centerville
would stay ahead.
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