Photos by Steven Wright | Greene County News
The battle of the big men between Legacy Christian sophomore Jacob Thompson (32) and Yellow Springs senior Otto Cipollini (35) was short lived as both teams thrived via outside shooting during Friday’s 66-34 win by the Knights.
Legacy Christian senior Tommy Michael lines up a shot during the first half of Friday’s game.
Yellow Springs senior Jake Ortiz-Thornton gets set to knock down a three against LCA.
Yellow Springs junior Landon Harris (12) tries to get the ball inside after getting past Legacy Christian freshman Justin Graves (3).
XENIA — It was evident in the opening minutes of Friday’s game that Legacy Christian had quickly gotten over a loss from earlier in the week.
The Knights scored the first 11 points against Yellow Springs and never looked back Friday in a 66-34 home win.
“Tuesday night being what it was, I didn’t have much to say other than to play free and have a little chip of your shoulder from the game the other night,” LCA head coach Steve Seitz said.
The message was heard loud and clear.
After Yellow Springs finally got on the board and briefly brought LCA’s lead back under 10, a fourth straight three-point basket by the Knights put them back up 12 in the opening quarter and the game never got closer.
Legacy Christian (8-3) hit a season-high 13 threes by finding numerous open opportunities along the perimeter. Staying away from Yellow Springs’ Otto Cipollini defending the paint paid off as seven different players for the Knights knocked down a shot from deep
“It definitely helps,” Seitz said. “… In the past there’s been nights we don’t shoot well and we also don’t play defense. The emphasis for us all the time is to play defense, but making 13 threes helps for sure.
Nate Hess hit five of them in his 15-point game which led all scorers. Parker Burke had 11 and Jacob Thompson scored nine as both of the Knights’ star players didn’t play in the final quarter.
Antonio Chaiten had nine for the Bulldogs, while Cipollini was held to his second lowest point total of the season at seven.
A running clock situation began midway through the third quarter when LCA’s lead grew above 35 points and it briefly went back to normal timing in the final minutes.
Contact Steven Wright at 937-502-4498 and follow on X (formerly Twitter) @Steven_Wright_.
