The final score of this game is deceiving when you consider that the biggest lead was 3 points held by Arcanum at the end of the 3rd quarter. The Trojans held a 9 point lead with under 2 minutes remaining in the quarter when Aaron Deister connected on two old fashioned 3 point plays to narrow the score to 41-38.

The 4th quarter began with two free throws from the Crusader’s Travis Green that narrowed the gap to one, 41-40.

It was at this point the Clint Hale show began.

For the first 3 quarters Hale struggled from the field by hitting only 2 of his 11 attempts. Brenton Balsbaugh and Braden Means were already in double figures by the start of the 4th quarter and along with starters Travis Binkley and freshman Austin Bruner had kept the Trojans in the lead to this point. Balsbaugh and Means had huge first quarters to get the Trojans off to a good start.

Hale started the scoring off after the Green free throws by going on his own 6 point run that gave the Trojans a 7 point lead with 5:32 remaining.

The Crusaders responded with a 4 point run that was ended on a nice assist from Binkley to Means to extend the Trojan lead back to 5, 49-44 with 4:29 on the clock.

Tyler Neuss narrowed the gap to 3 points on deuce at the 4 minute mark that set the stage for the Trojan free throw clinic 30 seconds later.

Dayton fouled Hale with their 7th team foul that put him on the line for Arcanum’s first one and bonus attempt. Hale drained them both to open the lead to 5 points, 51 – 46.

Binkley stole the ball for Arcanum on the next possession for DC that sent Hale to the line on their 8th team foul. One and bonus #2 – Nothin’ but net. 53 – 46.

After a Crusader bucket Hale went to the line for the final one and bonus and sank them both. 55 – 48.

Dayton Christian missed their first attempt at the one and bonus and Bruner pulled down the rebound for Arcanum. Binkley was the next to join the perfect run at the line as he sank both tosses in the double bonus to span the lead to 9 with 2 minutes to play.

After a Crusader missed 3 point attempt Hale gathered in the rebound and was promptly sent to the line to hit his 7th and 8th free throw in a row and Arcanum stretched the lead to 11 points with 1:47 left to play.

At this point the panic button was pushed by the Crusaders and another 3 point attempt was made and Arcanum did a great job of limiting Dayton Christian to one shot per possession down in the final minutes of the game.

After a DC free throw, Means was the next Trojan to add perfection at the stripe and he sank Arcanum’s 11th and12th free throw in a row in a 3 minute span. The Trojans are up 12 with 54 seconds remaining in the game. Means broke the free throw streak when he missed his first attempt for the Trojans with 24 seconds left after the outcome of the game was well at hand. Arcanum nailed down their 15 overall victory of the season with their second post season victory.

“Tournament Basketball is about rebounding and free throws” Arcanum Coach Brian Gunter noted in after the game. “We were 89 percent from the line and we made more shots than they attempted.”

“Clint Hale had 20 points in the second half, ten from the foul line. To score no points in the first half that is just huge for a senior leader.”

“It was a total team effort with Balsbaugh and Means in the first half and Clint took over in the second. We were very blessed.”

Scoring by quarters
Dayton Christian…13…25…38…41
Arcanum…………14…25…41…64

DC
Serenius – 12
Bartlett – 4
Deister – 14
Florkey – 7
Green – 6
Bryant – 4
Hornback – 2
FG % 39.1 (18-46) FT% 70.6 (12-17)

Arcanum
Brinkley – 7
Hale – 20
Means – 15
Balsbaugh – 13
Bruner – 6
Greve – 3
FG% 41.9 (18-43) FT% 89.3 (25-28)