Marysville’s Jack Christian drills a three-pointer against Olentangy Berlin on Friday. Christian helped lead MHS to an overtime victory. Christian is also seven points away from the school’s all-time boys scoring record. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
It is shaping up to be a pretty big basketball weekend for Marysville High School senior Jack Christian.
Not only did he hit the winning basket during Friday evening’s 69-67 overtime victory over Olentangy Berlin, but he stands on the threshold of a new school record.
Christian needs only seven points to become Marysville High School’s all-time boys basketball scoring leader.
The current mark of 1,208 points has been held by the late Ed Nicol since the 1955-56 school year.
Nicol was a charter member of the Marysville High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998.
Christian went into Friday’s contest needing 31 points to surpass Nicol’s record. The 24 points he tallied against Berlin made a huge dent in that gap.
Christian could set the new record when the Monarchs host North Union this evening at 6 p.m.
Marysville had to take care of business after playing a lethargic first half against the Bears.
Head coach Ryan Grose wasn’t pleased with his squad’s play during the first 16 minutes and let the Monarchs know about it at the turn.
“There’s nothing you can draw up on the board about focus and effort,” he said. “I just told the guys we had to pick up our intensity and I was pleased we did.”
The Monarchs (who are 10-7 overall and 5-3 in the Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division) didn’t put their best foot forward during the initial quarter.
Christian drove hard to the basket for a 6-6 tie.
The Bears, however, took over, thank to a pair of trifectas from Derrick Goodman and Austin Conley.
Those three-balls staked Berlin to a 14-8 lead with just under three minutes left in the period.
After several swaps in possession, Goodman tossed in an off-balance jumper, sending the Bears into the second set with a 16-8 lead.
MHS narrowed its deficit to 16-13 on a three-ball by Riley Karnes and a couple of charity tosses from Christian.
Goodman ignited another Berlin run with a three-pointer.
Before the Monarchs knew it, they were down 23-13 with 3:36 left until the break.
MHS, however, battled back.
Ryan Barlow swished a trey to narrow Marysville’s gap to 27-23.
Jason Inbody responded with a shot of his own, pushing the Bears up by a 30-23 count.
Christian, though, gave an indication of what was later to come.
He buried a long three-ball at the horn.
In doing so, he closed MHS’ deficit to 30-26.
Marysville responded to Grose’s halftime talk once the third quarter got under way.
Barlow buried a trifecta and Garrett scored on an offensive rebound.
MHS’ 31-30 lead didn’t last too long.
Abel Albenet hit a three-pointer that returned a 33-31 edge to Berlin.
Albenet was also fouled on the play, but couldn’t hit the free throw.
Evan Brown ripped the net for consecutive trifectas, thanks to assists from Christian.
Albenet scored to pull Berlin to within 37-35.
Christian took over MHS’ scoring down the stretch.
He gave the Monarchs a 39-36 lead with a bucket, cashed in on a pair of free throws and once again knocked down a trey at the horn.
His shot from beyond the arc sent MHS into the final quarter of regulation with a 44-36 advantage.
Baskets by Taylor and a free throw from Christian gave Marysville a 49-41 lead near the five-minute mark of the stanza.
Taylor’s free throws pushed the Monarchs out to a 51-44 spread as the timer neared three minutes.
The Bears, however, weren’t going to go down quietly.
Berlin went on a 13-8 run and pulled to within 59-57 on a basket by Conley.
Christian padded MHS’ edge at 60-57 with a free throw.
Albenet, though, hit nothing but net on a three-ball at the buzzer.
The teams went into the four-minute extra session knotted at 60-all.
Brown hit a free throw to begin OT.
Karnes then fed Barlow for a 63-60 lead.
Karnes nailed a bucket and Christian was still deadly from the charity stripe (he went 12-of-14 for the game) as MHS’ lead stood at 67-64 with 30.9 seconds left.
Berlin worked the clock down to 8.9 seconds when Goodman unleashed a three-ball that tied the score at 67-all.
The Monarchs broke the Bears’ ensuing press as Christian sped toward the bucket.
His shot at the horn gave MHS the win.
Marysville
Christian 5-12-24, Taylor 6-3-15, Barlow 4-0-10, Moore 3-2-8, Brown 2-1-7, Karnes 2-0-5, G. Johnson 0-0-0, Focht 0-0-0, Fourman 0-0-0. Totals 22-18-69.
Three-point goals: Christian 2, Barlow 2, Brown 2, Karnes 1.
Olentangy Berlin
Goodman 7-2-21, Conley 7-6-21, Inbody 4-1-10, Loeffler 1-5-7, A. Albenet 2-0-6, M. Albenet 1-0-2, Stone 0-0-0, Harris 0-0-0. Totals 22-14-67.
Three-point goals: Goodman 5, A. Albenet 2, Conley 1, Inbody 1.