By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
PETTISVILLE (January 27, 2024) – Liberty Center tried to chest up, Pettisville chested back as the Blackbirds gave one of the big boys from the NWOAL all they wanted on homecoming night before an electric crowd at Pettisville.
The Tigers took a six-point fourth quarter lead but then had to survive a late Blackbird rally and Joey Ripke’s last chance triple-try that hit back iron to take a 51-49 win.
The game was almost a snail pace offensively with the Tigers holding a 17-15 lead at the halftime break. The pace picked up exponentially in the third.
Grady Miller and Trenton Kruse each hit long balls to start the quarter around Johnny Fenton’s layup for Pettisville to give the Tigers a 23-17 lead.
Ripke’s stick back and Jack Leppelmeier’s scoop in the key shaved the margin to a bucket with 5:29 to go.
Colton Kruse’s basket off a loose ball pushed the Tiger lead to 31-24 at the 2:39 mark but Ripke hit a pair from the stripe and Leppelmeier’s coast to coast drive that turned into an ‘and-1’ again got the Birds back to a two-point deficit with 48 seconds left.
Ripke’s bomb from the corner 12 seconds into the fourth gave Pettisville their first lead since early in the opening quarter.
Gavin Geahlen hit a pair from the line to give Liberty Center a short-lived lead. That was because Fenton, in the midst of the physicality of the Tigers, scored back-to-back putbacks and one more time Leppelmeier drove the key for a 40-35 Pettisville lead with 5:40 left.
However, the next four possessions the Blackbirds missed twice and committed two offensive fouls and Miller was the main beneficiary, scoring nine straight points, three on drives down the slot and hitting a top of the circle three pointer to help take the Tigers from five down to up 46-40 with 1:35 to go.
Forced to foul, Pettisville put the Tigers on the stripe again and again, but Liberty could only connect on 5/8 down the stretch.
Creighton Aeschliman hit one left wing triple, then after Leppelmeier scored on his last flight to the rim, the sophomore guard bagged a second with 19 seconds left to bring the Blackbirds back to 50-49.
The Tigers’ Mason Like went to the line with 17.9 on the clock but got only a split leaving the door open for the Blackbirds.
Pettisville got the shot they wanted as Ripke had space from the top of the key and his shot with 6.2 left was online but just long.
Kaleb Wyse rooted out the rebound in the middle of the key near the foul line but had his back to the basket and the clock ran out before the Birds could get another look.
Miller scored 10 of his team high 17 in the fourth quarter for Liberty Center (8-5).
Leppelmeier had 17 for Pettisville (9-6). Fenton, who worked hard inside all night, added 12 and Ripke also had 12.
L. CENTER (51) – Gerber 2; Miller 17; C. Kruse 3; T. Kruse 6; L. Kruse 8; Like 6; Walker 3; Wilhelm 0; Totals: 13-5-10 – 51
PETTISVILLE – Leppelmeier 17; Ripke 12; Aeschliman 8; K. Wyse 0; M. Wyse 0; Bishop 0; Fenton 12; Totals: 16-3-8 – 49
L. CENTER 12 5 16 18 – 51
PETTISVILLE 6 9 16 18 – 49
GAME STATISTICS
L. CENTER: FG – 18/34 (53%); FT – 10/20 (50%; Rebounds – 19; Turnovers – 8; PETTISVILLE: FG – 19/40 (48%); FT – 8/12 (75%); Rebounds – 20; Turnovers 10
JUNIOR VARSITY: L. Center 53, Pettisville 32
