By: Nate Calvin
STRYKER – The calendar might have said December 1 but the feel inside Stryker High School was one of February for the non-conference meeting between Pettisville and Stryker.
In a tournament like atmosphere, Pettisville erased a 10-point halftime deficit by dominating the boards and holding Stryker to 5/19 from the floor in the second half to pull out a 38-36 win.
Stryker started strong as their 2-3 zone caused issues for the Pettisville offense and the Panthers ripped off a 9-0 run after Pettisville’s Jack Leppelmeier scored the game’s opening basket to take 9-2 lead.
The Panthers continued to increase their lead to start the second quarter as Mateo Villianueva would get a conventional three-point play after an offensive rebound and then he scored on a back-door layup to push the lead to 18-7.
Joey Ripke kept the Blackbirds close with a three-point play of his own and later a triple from the left corner to make it a 21-13 game.
Stryker ended the first half scoring on a third chance field goal by Elijah Juillard to give the Panthers a 25-15 lead at the break as Juillard netted 11 points in the first half.
A basket by Jacob Cadwell for Stryker gave them their biggest lead of the game at 27-15 before the Blackbirds responded with eight straight points ending with Ripke driving the lane for a layup.
Levi Barnum stopped the Pettisville run with a hoop and after Cayden Jacoby scored later in the quarter to make it 31-28, Villanueva buried a trey from the corner at the buzzer to give Stryker a 34-28 lead heading to the final stanza.
Pettisville used the foul line to eventually retake the lead as they opened the final quarter with a 7-0 spurt to grab a 35-34 lead.
Juillard answered back with a field goal, the only Stryker points in the fourth, to put the Panthers back on top 36-35.
Sean Adkins would go 2/2 at the line to give Pettisville the lead back at 37-36 and back-to-back defensive stops by the Blackbirds preserved their one-point lead.
After Leppelmeier was 1/2 at the foul line to extend the lead to 38-36, Stryker got a good look for the game tying bucket with Juillard inside, but it wouldn’t fall giving the Blackbirds the win.
Neither team would shoot the ball well in the fourth with Stryker going 1/10 and Pettisville 1/6 but it was the Blackbirds going 8/14 at the charity stripe while Stryker did not attempt a free throw in the fourth quarter.
For the game, Pettisville finished with a 29-18 advantage rebounding led by Ripke with 12 to go with his 13 points.
Juillard paced Stryker (0-2) with 13 points while Cadwell and Villanueva each added eight.
Stryker (0-2) will travel to Pettisville (2-1) for the league matchup on February 10th in the BBC finale for both squads.
PETTISVILLE (38) – Leppelmeier 9; Ripke 13; Aeschliman 0; Adkins 2; Beck 4; Jacoby 10; Totals: 8-2-16 – 38
STRYKER (36) – Juillard 13; Villanueva 8; LaBo 0; M. Donovan 3; Cadwell 8; D. Donovan 0; Barnum 4; Batterson 0; Totals: 13-2-4 – 36
Pettisville 7 8 13 10 – 38
Stryker 13 12 9 2 – 36
GAME STATISTICS: Pettisville: FG – 10/40 (25%); FT – 16/24 (66%); Rebounds – 29 (12 offensive); Turnovers – 9; Stryker: FG – 15/43 (34%); FT – 4/7 (57%); Rebounds – 18 (8 offensive); Turnovers – 10
Junior Varsity: Pettisville, 24-21
Nate can be reached at sports@thevillagereporter.com
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