Miami Trace senior Brady Armstrong sets for a shot attempt during the game against Circleville Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024 at Miami Trace High School.

Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald photos

Grant Guess, Miami Trace sophomore, splits two Circleville defenders in a drive to the basket Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024 at Miami Trace High School.

A battle for a loose ball under the basket — (l-r); senior Slater Search of Circleville, Miami Trace sophomore Adam Guthrie, sophomore Ed Kirk of Circleville, senior Coleden May of Miami Trace and sophomore Jack Kline of Circleville.

Miami Trace junior Trey Robinette takes the ball to the basket defended by Circleville senior Slater Search during a non-conference game at Miami Trace High School Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024.

The Miami Trace Panthers welcomed the Tigers of Circleville High School for a non-conference game Wednesday, Jan. 3.

It was the kind of start you work so hard in practice to attain.

The Panthers jumped out strong and played what interim head coach Brian Southward said was perhaps the team’s best half of the season thus far.

Miami Trace surged from the start, opening the game with a 12-0 run.

The Panthers kept playing at a high level throughout the first half and took a 34-17 lead into the locker room.

In a stunning reversal of fortune, the Tigers had virtually everything go their way in the second half, while it was the exact opposite for the Panthers.

Circleville outscored Miami Trace in the second half, 29-5 to pull out an improbable 46-39 victory.

Miami Trace led 18-9 at the end of the first quarter. The Panthers were shooting the ball very well, making 8 of 13 field goal attempts for 62 percent.

Circleville was not that far from a normal mark in the first quarter, making 4 of 10 shots for 40 percent.

The Panthers continued marksmanlike shooting in the second quarter, going 6 of 10 for 60 percent, while the Tigers tapered off to just 2 of 10.

Taken together, the Panthers were 14 of 23 from the floor in the first half for 61 percent, while the Tigers were shooting at a 30 percent clip.

All of that changed dramatically in the second half.

Circleville made 5 of its first 6 shots in the third quarter, going on a 13-0 run to pull to within four points at 34-30.

Sophomore Grant Guess scored what proved to be the Panthers’ only field goal of the period about midway through.

Sophomore Adam Guthrie hit a free throw for Miami Trace to give the Panthers a 37-32 lead.

Miami Trace held a 37-34 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Senior Bryson Osborne made what turned out to be Miami Trace’s only basket of the fourth quarter with 5:10 left in the game to put the margin at 39-36.

Circleville scored the final 10 points of the game for the 46-39 victory.

The Panthers made just 2 of 16 field goal attempts in the second half for 13 percent, while the Tigers made 11 of 21 shots for 52 percent.

Rebounding also hurt the Panthers, as Circleville claimed 14 offensive rebounds to two for the Panthers.

Guthrie led the Panthers with 10 points and shared the team lead with Osborne with five rebounds.

Osborne and fellow senior Austin Boedeker each finished the game with seven points.

Sophomore Grant Guess scored six for Miami Trace.

Osborne and Guthrie tied for the team lead, each with three assists and three steals. Guthrie also blocked two shots in the game.

The game’s leading scorer was senior Briley Cramer with 18 points for the Tigers.

Senior Preston Hulse scored eight and senior Slater Search contributed six points.

“I think that might have been the best half we’ve played all year,” Southward said of the Panthers’ first half. “Everything was going right for us.”

Southward cautioned the team to guard against any second half letdown during the halftime break.

“I told them (Circleville) just scored 80 the other night,” Southward said. “When they get hot, they get hot.

“I’m going to take the blame on this one myself,” Southward said. “I used my timeouts badly. It was just a tough, tough loss.”

The Panthers never gave up, Southward said.

“They’re always going to give their all, I don’t care what anyone says, just because I’m here and coach (Ben) Ackley is not,” Southward said. “I’ll take this loss on my shoulders.”

With the loss, Miami Trace has its 8-game winning streak snapped. The Panthers (8-3 overall) will host the Pioneers of Zane Trace High School Saturday with the freshman game set for 3 p.m.

Zane Trace fell to 3-4 on the season Wednesday with a 48-45 loss at Logan Elm. The Pioneers play at Southeastern Friday night.

Circleville improves to 6-3 and returns to Mid-State League play Saturday at home against Fairfield Union.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

C 9 8 17 12 — 46

MT 18 16 3 2 — 39

MIAMI TRACE — Trey Robinette 1-0-2; Grant Guess 3-0-6; Coleden May 2-0-4; Brady Armstrong 0 (1)-0-3; Skye Salyers 0-0-0; Austin Boedeker 1 (1)-2-7; Adam Guthrie 4-2-10; Bryson Osborne 2 (1)-0-7. TOTALS — 13 (3)-4-39. Free throw shooting: 4 of 6 for 67 percent. Three-point field goals: Armstrong, Boedeker, Osborne. Field goal shooting: 16 of 39 for 41 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 3 of 13 for 23 percent. Rebounds: 17 (2 offensive). Turnovers: 11. Assists: 8. Steals: 8. Blocked shots: 2. Fouls: 19.

CIRCLEVILLE — Preston Hulse 1 (2)-0-8; Drew Thornsley 2-1-5; Briley Cramer 5-8-18; Jack Kline 2-0-4; Slater Search 3-0-6; Riley Jenkins 0-1-1; Ed Kirk 2-0-4. TOTALS — 15 (2)-10-46. Free throw shooting: 10 of 15 for 67 percent. Three-point field goals: Hulse, 2. Field goal shooting: 17 of 41 for 41 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 2 of 12 for 17 percent. Turnovers: 12. Offensive rebounds: 14.

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Miami Trace wins j-v game against Tigers

Miami Trace won the junior-varsity game against the Tigers Wednesday, 38-25.

Conner Napier led Miami Trace with a game-high 17 points.

Julian Baker scored 13 and Bryson Yeoman scored eight.

Bain Folwer led the Tigers with eight points.

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Tigers win freshman game with Panthers

In the freshman game Wednesday, Circleville defeated Miami Trace, 20-16.

Dane Wilt led the Panthers with 10 points. He made one three-point field goal.

Anthony Huffer, Joe Rheinscheld and Gage Henry each scored two points for the Panthers.

Lamont Holloway led the Tigers with eight points.