'It just felt great'

FINDLAY – Findlay High's boys basketball team had the perfect present for family, fans and friends attending Monday's game with Tiffin Columbian.And senior forward Jack Rhoades knew just how to deliver it.Nursing a small lead in the final minute of overtime, Findlay broke Tiffin Columbian's press and Rhoades soared in for a tomahawk slam, giving Findlay the exclamation point it needed end a frustration three-game skid and cap off a hard-fought 60-53 win over the Tornadoes."For us, for coach Grose, for the fans … it just felt great," said Rhoades, a 6-foot-5 senior."We truly needed to push through adversity. After all those close games, it was really good to get on top of one."In its first four games, Findlay played well for stretches but came away with just one win. The Trojans had a lead in almost every game but fell victim to second-half comeback rallies by the opposition."We've competed hard the last three games but did not finish them out," said FHS coach Ryan Grose."We didn't let this one get away from us.Findlay led from its first basket of the game until 4:30 remained in the fourth quarter.Once up by 15 points in the second quarter (28-13) Findlay's double-digit lead, like ghosts of Christmas's past, faded fast.Nolan Miller was the main reason as the sophomore sharpshooter nailed three straight 3-pointers to first tie the game 36-36, then put Columbian up 39-36 and 42-38.Tiffin Columbian made just 1-of-13 3-point attempts in the first half, but connected on 6-of-18 in the second half and overtime."I told our guys at halftime they were going to make some shots," Grose said."I told them they were going to make a run. The question was how were we going to respond."Just when it looked like another "here-we-go-again" situation, Findlay wrote a new ending to the script.Rhoades scored on a back-door cut to trim Columbian's lead to 42-40.Blade Wendt then hit a spinner in the lane to tie it with 1:30 on the clock.After taking two time outs and running down most of the clock, Columbian took a 44-42 lead on a lob pass inside that Blake Tucker caught and scooped to the hoop in one motion.Findlay then came up clutch, getting the ball to Hudson Yeager in the low post. Yeager backed his man down, then dished a pass to Wendt cutting to the basket for the game-tying score with two seconds left in regulation."Blade Wendt has a very even keel," Grose said."He didn't panic, and hit the basket that put it into overtime."Findlay took quick control in the extra session, attacking inside and scoring the first nine points on baskets by Marcus Bishop, Yeager and Rhoades. Logan Gooding, who led Tiffin Columbian (3-4) with 17 points, dropped in two 3-pointers, but Rhoades' slam and Wendt's 6-of-8 accuracy from the line iced it.Wendt led all scorers with 20 points. Rhoades had 14 points and six rebounds and Yeager had nine points and eight boards.Findlay will host Defiance (4-2) next Tuesday, but might first bask a bit in the glow of Monday's victory because, as Grose says, "Getting a win before Christmas is always the best Christmas gift you can get." TIF. COLUMBIAN (3-4)Gooding 6-3—17, Hickey 2-1—5, N. Miller 5-0—14, DaS. Russell 3-1—7, Tucker 2-2—6. TOTALS: 19-61 8-15—53.FINDLAY (1-4)Wendt 6-6—20, Crates 0-0—0, Bishop 3-0—6, Bailey 1-0—2, Yeager 3-3—9, Whitaker 1-0—2, Drew 1-0—2, Garmong 0-2—2, Stillings 1-0—2, Stechschulte 0-1—1, Rhoades 7-0—14, McKanna 0-0—0. TOTALS: 23-53 12-16—60Columbian 6 16 16 17 9—53Findlay 13 8 10 13 16—603-POINT GOALS: Tiffin Columbian 7-32 (N. Miller 4, Gooding 2, Russell); Findlay 2-19 (Wendt 2).REBOUNDS: Tiffin Columbian 40 (Hickey 7, Tucker 6, Nye 5); Findlay 37 (Yeager 8, Rhoades 6, Stillings 4).TURNOVERS: Tiffin Columbian 20; Findlay 11.JUNIOR VARSITY: Findlay 61-24.