LEADING THE RALLY … Grant Girrell scores inside for Montpelier in the first quarter. Girrell scored 10 of his game-high 16 points in the second half to help Montpelier knock off Stryker. (PHOTO BY RICH HARDING / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
MONTPELIER (January 19, 2024) – Neither team shot the ball well, but the Locos made up for it at the foul line where they were 16/22 on the night, including 6/10 in the fourth quarter, to outlast Stryker 43-38.
The loss by Stryker ends a 13-game BBC winning streak for the Panthers that dates back to 2022.
It was Stryker taking the lead out of the gate as they capitalized off Montpelier miscues to grab an 8-2 lead thanks to a pair of buckets from Jacob Cadwell and William Donovan.
Montpelier answered with scores from Grant Girrell and Griffin Cooley sandwiched around a layup by Devin Montague of Stryker to give the visitors a 10-6 lead after the first quarter.
Daniel Donovan stretched the Stryker advantage to 15-8 after a bucket and then a three-point play early in the second stanza.
The Locos responded with a 7-0 run, with all seven points coming at the foul line, as Girrell went 4/4 to key the spurt and tie the game 15-15.
Stryker ended the half with a brief 5-2 spurt to retake the lead at 20-17 going to locker room after two free throws by Michael Donovan and William Donovan buried a trey from the right wing.
An offensive rebound bucket by Cadwell early in the third gave Stryker a 24-19 advantage but once again the Locos had an answer.
Kenneth Smeltzer was 2/2 at the stripe and Girrell had consecutive scores after offensive rebounds to give Montpelier the lead at 25-24.
Daniel Donovan stopped the Montpelier run at 6-0 with a jumper in the lane before Girrell grabbed another offensive board which he kicked out to Smeltzer this time and he splashed a three ball from the right wing for a 28-26 Loco lead.
Scores by Cadwell and Gavin LaBo leveled the score at 30-30 but a 1/2 trip to the foul line by Chavez Martin gave the Locos a slim 31-30 lead after three quarters.
Girrell accounted for Montpelier’s first three points of the final frame but that was countered by field goals from Daniel Donovan and LaBo to tie the game at 34.
The Locos scored four straight points with Cooley and Drake Sommer each going 1/2 from the line and Smeltzer scored on a baseline drive to give the Locos a 38-34 lead with 2:00 remaining.
Jacob Meyers would connect on just the second Stryker three-pointer of the night to trim the Panther deficit to just one at 38-37.
The Locos finished things off with Girrell going 1/2 and Smeltzer was 2/2 at the line and Girrell capped it off by getting behind the Stryker defense for a layup.
Stryker (7-6, 2-1 BBC) was just 1/8 from behind the arc in the fourth quarter and 3/13 overall in the quarter.
The Panthers were able to generate 21 more shots than Montpelier thanks to 17 offensive rebounds on the night but shot just 16/61, including 2/32 from long range.
Girrell finished the night with a game-high 16 points and Smeltzer added 10 to lead Montpelier (5-6, 2-1 BBC). Cadwell and Daniel Donovan had nine points each for Stryker.
STRYKER (38) – M. Donovan 4; Myers 3; LaBo 4; Cadwell 9; D. Donovan 9; Froelich 0; W. Donovan 7; Batterson 0; Montague 2; Totals: 14-2-4 – 38
MONTPELIER (43) – Sommer 3; Sharps 2; Camper 0; Girrell 16; Martin 3; Cooley 5; Brink 4; Smeltzer 10: Totals 12-1-16
STRYKER 10 10 10 8 – 38
MONTPELIER 6 11 14 12 – 43
JUNIOR VARSITY: Montpelier 50, Stryker 17
GAME STATISTICS
STRYKER: FG – 16/61 (26%); FT – 4/9 (44%); Rebounds – 30 (17 offensive); Turnovers – 10; MONTPELIER: FG – 13/40 (32%); FT – 16/22 (72%); Rebounds – 36 (10 offensive); Turnovers – 16