PLYMOUTH, Ohio — Dodge Collins did his best Tyson Beebe impersonation during the second quarter Saturday at Plymouth.
With Beebe, Plymouth’s senior sharpshooter, saddled with foul trouble, Collins sank a pair of 3-pointers during a pivotal two-minute stretch as the Big Red rolled to a 71-49 Firelands Conference win over Crestview.
“I got off to a slow start and the defense started sagging off me a little bit,” said Collins, a 6-foot junior starter. “I hit a couple of big 3s in the second quarter and everything started to come together.”
Beebe picked up his third foul with 5:11 remaining in the second quarter and Plymouth (6-1, 3-0) holding a tenuous 23-15 lead. The Big Red outscored Crestview (1-6, 1-3) 15-6 the rest of the half for a comfortable 38-21 advantage at the break.
“We only played well for about five minutes total in the first half, but that one two-minute stretch was the difference,” Plymouth coach Troy Keene said. “We hit a couple of big 3s and that was the ballgame.”
Sophomore marksman Mitchell Chaffins got into the act, too, draining a pair of treys. Chaffins’ 3-pointer off a Tyrell Edmiston assist gave the Big Red a 31-17 lead. Collins then connected on back-to-back 3s for a 37-17 lead.
“They would hit a 3 and we would come down and get one shot and they would get the rebound and come down and hit another one,” Crestview coach Bryan Hall said. “When they went on that run, it deflated us a little bit.”
Edmiston, an Urbana recruit, got it going in the third quarter as Plymouth pushed the lead to 56-34. The athletic 6-foot-4 forward scored 19 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
“Teams have to devote so much effort to stopping Tyrell that it opens things up for me and Tyson and the other perimeter shooters,” Collins said. “They double down on him and he is such a good passer that he always finds us.”
Beebe led Plymouth with 21 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Collins and Hunter Bailey each had nine, while Chaffins added seven.
Ben Olewiler topped Crestview with 12 points. Sawyer Radcliffe had nine and Colton Stevens added seven.
Soul Searching: Hall and the Cougars had an extended conversation in the locker room after the disheartening loss.
“We’re trying to find ourselves,” Hall said. “We’re hanging our heads and dwelling on the losses.”
The Cougars committed 20 turnovers Saturday, several of which were of the unforced variety.
“We couldn’t stay out of our own way. Half of those turnovers were on travels or we would dribble the ball off our own feet,” Hall said. “We need to take care of the ball better and come out with a greater sense of urgency.”
Bah, Humbug: Plymouth coach Troy Keene enjoys the holidays, but could do without the extended layoffs. The Big Red won’t be in action again until next Saturday.
“There is no sense of continuity,” Keene said. “I don’t think either team played with much energy in the second half. We ended up scoring 70 points, but we did it quietly.
“The first week of the holiday break is normally OK, but the second week the kids get out of their routine,” Keene said. “The kids aren’t in tune to what is going on and they get a little ornery.”
The Big Red closed the curtain on the 2014 portion of the schedule with four straight wins.
“We’re 6-1 and our one loss was at the buzzer (a 44-43 loss to undefeated Colonel Crawford on Dec. 9),” Keene said. “We’re pleased with where we are, but we know there is a lot of room for improvement.”
“We only played well for about five minutes total in the first half, but that one two-minute stretch was the difference,” Plymouth coach Troy Keene said. “We hit a couple of big 3s and that was the ballgame.”
