P-G turns up defense to stop Leipsic

PANDORA – Mike Lee wasn't happy.The Pandora-Gilboa boys basketball coach had just watched his team allow 22 points to Leipsic in the second quarter. The Rockets, who started the season with three straight wins, trailed the Vikings, 32-31 at the break."We're gonna hang our hat on what we do or don't do defensively," Lee said. "I was not pleased in our halftime conversation."But whatever Lee told his players in the locker room, they responded. The Rockets allowed just 16 second-half points – four in the fourth quarter – and won, 63-48."We just played more defense," said Rockets senior Cory Gerten, who made nine field goals and finished with a game-high 21 points.The other change was on the offensive end. The Rockets – led by Gerten – made an effort to get to the rim in the second half.Leipsic was able to stay with P-G through three quarters, thanks in large part to its 3-point shooting. The Vikings made five 3s in the second quarter, and nine in the game. Calvin Miller – who had a team-leading 14 points and 10 rebounds – made four triples.When Leipsic's Grady Bryan connected on a jumper with 3:43 left in the third, the game was tied at 39.But Pandora answered with baskets from Adam Buell and Jack Buell, and by the end of the quarter held a 50-44 advantage.In the fourth, back-to-back driving layups from Gerten pushed the P-G lead to 56-44.Miller came back with a 3 to make it 56-47 with 5:24 left, but the Rockets ended the game on a 9-1 run.Camden Verhoff finished with 14 points for Pandora-Gilboa, while Adam Buell had 11 to go with eight rebounds.Zac Lammers and Daniel Garcia each scored eight points for the Vikings, who fell to 0-4, 0-3 in the BVC. P-G improved to 4-0, 2-0 in the conference.The teams will meet again – in Leipsic – in a Putnam County League contest. That game is scheduled for Feb. 7. LEIPSIC (0-4, 0-3 BVC) C. Miller 4-2—14; Carillo 2-1—7; Beckman 0-3—3; Lammers 2-4—8; Bryan 2-0—5; Eagleson 1-0—3; Garcia 3-1—8. TOTALS: 14-37—11-20—48. PANDORA-GILBOA (4-0, 2-0 BVC) Gerten 9-0—21; Verhoff 3-8—14; Meyer 1-0—2; Kempf 2-3—9; Meyer 1-0—2; Benroth 1-0—3; A. Buell 5-0—11; J. Buell 1-1—3. TOTALS: 23-47—12-18—63. Leipsic 10 22 12 4 – 45 Pandora-Gilboa 15 16 19 13 – 63 3-POINT GOALS: Leipsic 9-24 (C. Miller 4, Carillo 2, Bryan, Eagleson, Garcia); Pandora-Gilboa 7-15 (Gerten 3, Kempf 2, Benroth, A. Buell). REBOUNDS: Leipsic 30 (C. Miller 10); Pandora-Gilboa 30 (A. Buell 8) TURNOVERS: Leipsic 10; Pandora-Gilboa 4. JV: P-G, 47-40.