LEXINGTON — Scott Hamilton likes good defensive basketball.
The sixth-year Lexington boys’ coach has loved the last two weeks, culminating in a dominant, 68-39 victory at home against Mount Vernon, forcing the Yellow Jackets to share the Ohio Cardinal Conference title.
Lexington finished its regular season with a 17-5 record, 9-3 in the OCC. Mount Vernon is 15-6 and 9-3 with a non-league game left to play.
Mansfield Senior had a chance to make it a three-way tie, but the Tygers fell at cross-town rival Madison on Friday night, 82-58, finishing 8-4 in the OCC.
In wins this month against Ashland, West Holmes, Wooster, previously-unbeaten Ottawa-Glandorf and now Mount Vernon, the Minutemen allowed less than 50 points per game.
“It was a lot of fun,” Hamilton said. “When you see a loose ball on the floor and you see a guy go after it, you know he’s ready to play. Tonight, we had three or maybe four kids diving on the floor for loose balls.
“It showed they were ready to play and it showed how they feel about what (was) on the line. Every loose ball, every possession mattered,” Hamilton said. “I am really proud of the guys. They are really buying into the defensive side of the ball.”
STIFLED STARTS: In the upset win last Saturday over Ottawa-Glandord, the state’s second-ranked Division III team managed just 17 points in the first half — one night after O-G scored 101.
Mount Vernon, which seldom got an uncontested shot all night, had just 18 points at the intermission as Lexington built a 10-point edge at the break.
“Last Saturday and tonight are right up with our best defensive games of the season,” Hamilton said.
The Yellow Jackets, who beat Lexington 67-57 at the end of January, shot just 23 percent from the field in the first half (5 of 22) and only 29 percent for the game (12 of 41).
Lexington connected on 50 percent in the first half (16-32) and for the game (23-45).
“In the first game, they hit a couple of shots and we panicked a little and we tried to come down and match them really quick. Tonight, we told the kids (Mount Vernon) won’t win it with one shot and we have to work to get our shot. We wanted to work inside the paint and then out,” Hamilton said.
Junior post Cade Stover had 18 points and 16 rebounds for Lexington as the Minutemen dominated the boards. Lexington had a 37-15 overall rebounding advantage, including 12-3 on the offensive end.
“I thought we were pretty patient on the offensive end,” Hamilton said. “The guys went out there and wanted it. We told the guys if win, we get a share of the title. If we lose, and Mansfield Senior won, we would finish tied for third.”
Mount Vernon coach Nick Coon was not available for comment after the game.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Junior Ben Vore backed Stover with 16 points. Junior Josh Aiello added 13 points and seven rebounds. Junior Kyle Johnston had nine. Senior Bryant Givand had seven in his final home game and senior Mason Kearns had five assists.
Senior Malik Hatcher led Mount Vernon with nine points. Senior Tyler Bills added seven.
Both teams shot well at the line. Lex was 17 of 21 and Mount Vernon was 13 of 19. The Yellow Jackets had 14 turnovers, compared to 10 for Lexington.
UP NEXT: Lexington is now idle until Feb. 28 when the Minutemen begin play in a loaded Division II tournament. Lex, the No.-3 seed in the 14-team field, plays Galion at 8 p.m. at Willard,
Eleven of the 14 teams in the tournament had winning records at the time of the draw last weekend.
“The tournament is packed full of teams that can win it,” Hamilton said. “The flip side is you also realize you are one of those teams that has a chance to win it. No team has really separated itself.
“We have a lot of good teams, maybe no great teams, and that puts us right there to make a run at a district championship,” Hamilton said. “The guys are really trusting each other. I am a big one for team chemistry. The guys are having a lot of fun and we’re rolling. We told the boys the bus doesn’t stop here. We have got more to play and hopefully we are on the road for awhile.”
Mount Vernon plays at Big Walnut tonight in a non-league game.
