ATWATER, OH- On a chilly Tuesday evening the Waterloo Vikings welcomed in the Mogadore Wildcats to Brookover Gymnasium. The Vikings were looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Southeast while the Wildcats were looking to get to the .500 mark on the season.
It was a slow start to this one with turnovers on both ends before Karson Jaber got the Wildcats on the board for the first score of the game. After a Trevor Simons three ball for Waterloo, Jaber would can back to back three's for Mogadore putting them up 8-3 early on.
Gage Hawley responded with five straight points for the Vikings to tie things up at 8-8. After Waterloo took an 11-8 lead, the Wildcats would score six straight points capped off by a Nick Stephenson bucket inside to take a 14-11 lead after one.
Waterloo would score the first four points quarter two taking a 15-14 lead before The Wildcats would close the low scoring quarter on a 11-2 run with 7 of those points coming from Stephenson. Only 17 total points scored in the quarter and the Wildcats held a 25-17 lead heading into halftime. Stephenson led the way for the Wildcats just missing a first half double/double with 9 points and 12 rebounds.
The Vikings would come out strong to open the second half. Coach Gavin English went to Evan Gallagher to start the 3rd getting some more size to help keep Stephenson off the boards. Gallagher responded right away with a converted and-one opportunity to open the 3rd. After a Jude Thiry bucket for Mogadore, the Vikings would score four straight and cut the deficit to 27-24. Mogadore's Jordan Smith then hit a three and converted a pair of free throws to push the lead out to 32-24. The Vikings would cut it down to four at 32-28 before Smith nailed a corner three to end the quarter putting the Wildcats up 35-28.
Vikings coach Gavin English was issued a technical foul to end the 3rd resulting in a pair of free throws for Mogadore to open the 4th. Demitri Blagojevic split the pair but then nailed a three to open up a 39-28 lead. After a Kade Thomas three for the Vikings cut it back down to eight, Smith stretched it back to 11 after his third three ball of the game. The Vikings would not get any closer than nine the rest of the way as the Wildcats came out on top 48-35.
Jordan Smith led all scorers with 16 points for Mogadore while Nick Stephenson contributed a double/double with 12 points and 16 rebounds despite some 2nd half foul trouble. Gage Hawley led the Vikings with 9 points.
The Wildcats looks to keep it rolling on Friday at Lake Center Christian while the Vikings will look to bounce back when they host Memorial.
Postgame interviews with Jordan Smith, Nick Stephenson and coach Russ Swartz.
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