The Miami Trace Panthers basketball team, cheerleaders and coaches after winning the Epifano Holiday Tournament with a 65-62 victory over London Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023 at Miami Trace High School.

Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald photos

The All-Tournament team for the Epifano Holiday Tournament, sponsored by Nick Epifano, owner and operator of McDonald’s of Fayette County and Jamestown, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (l-r); Zach Jones and June Turner, London; Chase Allen, Greeneview; Logan Walters, Madison Plains and from Miami Trace, Adam Guthrie and Bryson Osborne, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Miami Trace senior Bryson Osborne drives to the basket during the Epifano Holiday Tournament championship game against London Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. Osborne was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Miami Trace sophomore Adam Guthrie powers his way to the basket guarded by London senior Damian Roby, during the championship game of the Epifano Holiday Tournament, sponsored by Nick Epifano, owner and operator of McDonald’s of Fayette County and Jamestown. Guthrie scored 18 points and had 11 rebounds against the Red Raiders and was selected to the All-Tournament team for the Panthers.

Grant Guess, Miami Trace sophomore, eyes the basket as he drives past two London players in the championship game of the Epifano Holiday Tournament held at Miami Trace High School Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023.

There was someone missing at Miami Trace High School Saturday night, Dec. 30 as the Epifano Holiday Basketball Tournament, varsity boys edition, held its second and final set of games.

Miami Trace’s head coach, Ben Ackley, experienced a medical emergency after Thursday’s semifinal game against Greeneview and had to be hospitalized.

Ackley is reportedly in good spirits, resting and recuperating in the Adena Medical Center in Chillicothe.

The Panthers did what any team would hope to do when their coach is out of action and the team has a game to play — they went out and won it for their coach.

The Panthers won their eighth game in a row, defeating a tenacious London Red Raider team, 65-62 to capture the 2023 Epifano Holiday Tournament title.

“This was for Coach Ackley,” assistant coach Brian Southward, subbing in as head coach, said after the game. “He’s doing great. He’s doing a lot better. We got this for him tonight.”

Southward expressed concerned about a letdown by the Panthers, with their head coach hospitalized, but, he needn’t have worried.

“The team came out and really played hard,” Southward said.

After Miami Trace took a quick 5-1 lead, the Red Raiders showed their capabilities, going on a 12-0 run to go in front, 13-5.

London came out shooting well, hitting 6 of 10 shots in the first quarter, including making 4 of 6 three-point baskets.

With half as many threes, Miami Trace was still on target, converting 6 of its 9 shot attempts in the opening period.

Miami Trace senior Bryson Osborne, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, finishing with 11 points in the game, hit one three in the first quarter and junior Skye Salyers hit one of his two three-point field goals in the game early on.

For London, junior Cuyler Greenhill made two threes in the first quarter and junior June Turner, named to the All-Tournament team, hit the first of his four threes on the night, on his way to scoring 14 for the Red Raiders.

London led 18-16 at the end of an exciting first quarter of action.

The Red Raiders were up by six, 23-17, a couple of minutes into the second quarter.

Panther sophomore Grant Guess, who scored 15 points, made a shot that put his team into the lead, 26-25 midway through the period.

Sophomore Adam Guthrie scored seven of his team-high 18 points in the second quarter. That helped push the Panthers to a 34-28 lead.

It was 34-30, Miami Trace, at the half.

Guthrie turned in a double-double in the game, with 11 rebounds. He also shared the team lead with Guess, each with four assists. Guthrie was named to the All-Tournament team.

Guess was active on the boards with nine rebounds and he also had one steal.

The closely-contested game stayed that way throughout the second half.

The Panthers would pull ahead by a possession or two, but London would inevitably answer and continue their pursuit of the Epifano title.

The Red Raiders scored the first five points of the third quarter, but the lead was short-lived, as senior Brady Armstrong connected for a three-point basket. Armstrong finished the game with nine points, two assists and three steals.

London soon tied the game, 37-37 before Guthrie scored four points and Salyers made his second trey of the game, putting the Panthers in front, 44-39.

Guess had an offensive rebound and put-back and Guthrie scored and converted a foul shot. After three quarters of play, Miami Trace held a 49-44 advantage.

The Panthers threatened to leave London behind in the fourth quarter, twice taking a lead of as many as 11 points.

However, senior Zach Jones, who scored in fairly equal amounts in each quarter, (6, 9, 7 and 6), finishing with a game-high 28, earning All-Tournament Team recognition, made 6 of 8 shots from the line in the fourth quarter to help his team’s cause.

London began to draw closer as time became of the essence. Turner hit two threes and Greenhill and sophomore Colin Nickell each made one.

Armstrong made two foul shots at the 1:37 mark to keep the Panthers in front by 10 (61-51).

Jones made two free throws with 1:08 left in the game.

Armstrong converted two more critical free throws with 21 seconds to play.

London hit two threes in the final moments of the game, both before and after Guess made two free throws, to put the final at 65-62, Panthers.

Southward gave due credit to London for their effort and sticktoitiveness.

“London played a great, great game tonight,” Southward said. “I knew coming in they were going to play a zone on us, because we were so tall. They’re a great team and they scared me tonight.

“Guthrie is a great kid and a great player and he played a really good game tonight,” Southward said. “Osborne is one of our main guys. He’s been there through thick and thin and everything. And Grant really stepped up and helped us tonight coming off the bench.

“We’re going to bring the New Year in,” Southward said. “We’ve won eight straight. I wish we could be 10-0, but we’ll take 8-2.

“We have to worry about Circleville Wednesday,” Southward said. “Then we’re back in here Saturday (Jan. 6) to play a good Zane Trace team.

“Then we come back the following Tuesday (Jan. 9, returning to Frontier Athletic Conference play) against Chillicothe,” Southward said.

Senior Austin Boedeker finished with four points, along with two assists, one steal and one blocked shot.

Senior Coleden May scored two points, grabbed two rebounds and had one assist for the Panthers.

Junior Trey Robinette had one rebound and blocked one shot for Miami Trace.

Miami Trace (8-2 overall), has five home games in a row to start the 2024 portion of the season, beginning with Circleville Wednesday, Jan. 3. The Tigers will come into that game with a record of 5-3 after a nail-biting 81-79 overtime win against Westall on Dec. 29.

London falls to 3-4 overall and will host the Urbana Hillclimbers Friday, Jan. 5.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

MT 16 18 15 16 — 65

L 18 12 14 18 — 62

MIAMI TRACE — Trey Robinette 0-0-0; Grant Guess 5-5-15; Coleden May 1-0-2; Brady Armstrong 1 (1)-4-9; Skye Salyers 0 (2)-0-6; Austin Boedeker 2-0-4; Adam Guthrie 6-6-18; Bryson Osborne 1 (3)-0-11. TOTALS — 16 (6)-15-65. Free throw shooting: 15 of 23 for 65 percent. Three-point field goals: Osborne, 3; Salyers, 2; Armstrong. Field goal shooting: 22 of 38 for 58 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 6 of 11 for 55 percent. Rebounds: 31 (7 offensive). Turnovers: 15. Assists: 16. Steals: 9. Blocked shots: 2. Fouls: 17.

LONDON — Stevie Gravely 1-1-3; Hunter Canney 0-0-0; June Turner 1 (4)-0-14; Cuyler Greenhill 0 (3)-0-9; Baylor Kennell 1-0-2; Brody Hildreth 0-0-0; Zach Jones 8-12-28; Colin Nickell 0 (2)-0-6. TOTALS — 11 (9)-13-62. Free throw shooting: 13 of 22 for 59 percent. Three-point field goals: Turner, 4; Greenhill, 3; Nickell, 2. Field goal shooting: 20 of 45 for 44 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 9 of 19 for 47 percent. Turnovers: 12. Offensive rebounds: 9.

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Greeneview wins consolation game with Madison Plains, 50-33

The Greeneview Rams improved to 5-3 on the season with a 17-point win over the Golden Eagles of Madison Plains in the Epifano Holiday Tournament consolation game Saturday night, Dec. 30.

The Rams were led by senior Chase Allen with 14 points. He was named to the All-Tournament team.

Senior Logan Walters led Madison Plains in scoring with 12 points and was their representative on the All-Tournament team.

Also for Greeneview, junior Alex Horney had 10 points, sophomore King Tripp scored eight and juniors Eli Walker and Joey Giannobile and sophomore Will Climie each scored six points.

Also for Madison Plains, senior Josh Long and junior Linson Bolin each scored six points; freshman Patrick Madden scored four, senior Payton Pollock and junior Layne White each contributed two points and junior Brayden Evans scored one.

Madison Plains (3-7 overall) opens play in the new year on Friday, Jan. 6 at Westfall.

Greeneview tips off 2024 on Tuesday, Jan. 2 by hosting West Liberty-Salem.