In the top photo, Jonathan Alder’s Peyton Heiss (4) has a shot attempt thwarted during Thursday’s Division II regional semifinal game against Kettering Alter.
(Journal-Tribune photos by Tim Miller)
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The first 10 or so minutes of Thursday’s Division II regional semifinal basketball game went fairly well for the Pioneers of Jonathan Alder.
Alder held its own against Kettering Alter during the opening period and the first few minutes of the ensuing stanza.
The game was deadlocked at 15-all when JA’s Ryan Mark tallied a traditional three-point play with 5:25 left until halftime.
From that point on, however, the wheels fell off.
As a result, the Pioneers (16-10) dropped a 63-42 verdict during the Division II regional semifinal contest that was played at Vandalia-Butler High School.
The game became much more difficult for the Pioneers once state-ranked (No. 9) Alter got untracked.
“We got off to a good start, but the game got away from us because of our turnovers and their offensive boards,” said JA head coach Derek Dicke.
A trifecta from Peyton Heiss gave Alder a 3-2 lead as the first-period clock neared the three-minute mark.
Mark swished a three-ball from the top of the key that later pulled the local team to within 7-6.
The Pioneers then took an 8-7 edge into the second period when Chase Meutzel hit a bucket.
Meutzel added a pair of free throws early in the ensuing period that pushed JA out to a 10-7 lead.
The game was evenly-played over the next several minutes.
RJ Greer tripled home a jumper which gave the Knights (20-7) a 15-12 lead.
Mark, though, followed with his old-fashioned three-point play that knotted the battle at 15.
Alter then turned up the heat on its pressing, trapping defense that forced several JA turnovers.
When the Pioneers were able to break the press, the Knights’ zone defense made it difficult to penetrate the paint.
“Their zone made it difficult for us to find good shots,” admitted Dicke.
Jonathan Alder’s offense was stifled to the tune of only three additional points prior to halftime.
On the other end of the court, a number of Alter possessions were kept alive when the taller Knights (which presented heights such as 6-8, 6-7, 6-6 and 6-5) pounded the offensive boards.
Kettering Alter went on an 11-0 run that wasn’t halted until Heiss stroked a three-ball with 2:20 left until the break.
The Knights went on to take a 32-18 halftime margin and were firmly in control of the contest.
Alter’s Gavin Leen, who tallied a game-21 points, buried a pair of three-pointers early in the third quarter.
His second trifecta during that stretch, one of nine for the game by the Knights, elevated their lead to 40-18.
The Pioneers kept up a valiant fight, but Alter’s advantage was just too much to overcome.
“I’m very proud of the fact our guys kept going,” said Dicke.
Conner hit a three-ball that stretched the Knights’ lead to 50-22.
Heiss knocked down one of his four three-pointers late in the quarter.
Leen, however, ended the third period with a trey that sent KA into the fourth set with a commanding 55-28 spread.
Heiss, Alder’s lone senior, did his best to keep his team going.
His three-ball with slightly more than four minutes left put the score at 55-37.
Heiss, though, later fouled out and left the court to a standing ovation by Pioneer Nation.
Dicke put a number of substitutes into the game as the clock wound down on Jonathan Alder’s season.
Kettering Alter will face Cincinnati Wyoming Saturday evening at Vandalia-Butler in the regional championship game.
Wyoming toppled Hamilton Badin, 50-38, during the nightcap of regional action on Thursday in Vandalia.
Saturday’s winner will advance to next week’s Division II state Final Four at the University of Dayton.
“Kettering Alter is a very good team,” said Dicke. “Their size and physicality gave us problems.”
“We came out pretty solid on defense, but Kettering Alter just took control during the second quarter,” said Heiss, who will continue his hoops career at Mount Vernon Nazarene.
Dicke couldn’t say enough about what Heiss has meant to the program.
“Peyton Heiss is a ‘legend’ in the Jonathan Alder community,” the coach said. “He was a leader from before the time I took over as coach a year ago.”
“I feel like I’ve been an older brother to the rest of these guys and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Heiss. “I’ve built a lot of great relationships with everyone in our program.
“This game does not define our group,” the senior said.
Kettering Alter
Leen 7-4-21, Greer 5-1-13, Connor 4-2-13, Brand 3-1-8, Uhl 1-1-3, Wehner 1-0-2, Fenton 1-0-2, Watkins 0-1-1, Keighley 0-0-0, Sheets 0-0-0. Totals 22-10-63.
Three-point goals: Leen 3, Connor 3, Greer 1, Brand 1.
Jonathan Alder
Heiss 5-1-15, Mark 3-2-9, Meutzel 2-2-6, Cramer 2-0-5, Bauer 1-0-3, Atkins 1-0-2, Hostetler 1-0-2, Shoemaker 0-0-0, Damron 0-0-0, Dyar 0-0-0, Hess 0-0-0. Totals 15-5-42.
Three-point goals: Heiss 4, Mark 1, Bauer 1.