Jackets hold off Maumee Perrysburg gets win despite 22 turnovers

Maumee's Corey Nelson and Perrysburg's Glen Empie battle for a rebound. Empie had seven points and seven rebounds as the Yellow Jackets picked up a key Northern Lakes League win.

This is the time of the year when the idea of giving is promoted.

Perrysburg appeared to be in a giving mood last night at Maumee.

The Yellow Jackets committed 22 turnovers in a Northern Lakes League tilt with the Panthers. Yet they weren't so generous as to give away the game.

Perrysburg, the defending NLL champion, remained undefeated in the league by outlasting Maumee for a 58-55 victory. A desperation, last-second 3-point shot from the corner by Maumee's Lamonte Dawson bounced off the side of the backboard as time expired.

"I don't think we were very good handling the basketball and that certainly gave them some easy baskets," Perrysburg coach Dave Boyce said. "But I think down the stretch we made some big plays and we got every rebound."

Andrew Wood pumped in a game-high 23 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead the Yellow Jackets (2-1, 2-0). Wood put the Yellow Jackets ahead for good when he broke a 53-53 tie by knocking down his fourth 3-pointer of the game for a 56-53 edge with 1:26 left in the fourth quarter.

"It's a big win for us. They gave us a good game," said Wood, who produced 14 of his points in the first half. "It shows us we have to work together as a team."

In spite of the turnovers, many of the unforced variety, the Yellow Jackets did enough on the court to overcome the Panthers (1-2, 1-1), who were guilty of only 13 turnovers. Perrysburg's Scott Perkins came through with 10 points and a team-best eightrebounds while Ian Milne accounted for nine points. Glen Empie (7 points, 7 rebounds) and Ricky Heber (6 points, 6 rebounds) also delivered, particularly around the basket.

"We always say you've got to be in the race to win the race," Boyce said. "Right now, that's what we're trying to do, be in the race."

Maumee may have allowed one to slip away. After trailing by as many as 10 points in the first half, the Panthers fought their way back and owned a four-point lead when Kipp Dawson drained a 3-pointer to give them a 53-49 edge with just under three minutes to play in the final quarter.

However, Perrysburg responded with a 7-0 run to regain the lead and a pair of foul shots for Jake Causer with 38.3 seconds remaining represented the Panthers' final two points.

"It is a tough loss on your home floor early in the season," Maumee coach Jim Robinson said. "It was a game I thought we could win against one of the league's best teams."

Kipp Dawson paced the Panthers with 19 points while his brother Lamonte added 13. Joey Albright sank three 3-pointers for nine points.

Maumee, which trailed 32-30 at the half, outscored Perrysburg 16-11 in the third period to take a 46-43 edge into the fourth quarter. The Panthers led by as many as four points during the third quarter.

"We led 40-36 in the third quarter and then had some mental lapses," Robinson said. "We were getting to the basket and I thought we went a little too individual at that point. I think we stopped attacking them and we needed to continue attacking."

Perkins, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, became the aggressor for the Yellow Jackets.

After going scoreless in the third quarter, Perkins delivered three of his five baskets during the final period.

"At the end, Perkins looked like a three-year varsity player and someone that's been through the [league] wars," Boyce said.

"I think Perkins stepped up and was the player that he is," Robinson said. "He made some big shots when the game was on the line."

Contact Donald Emmons at:

demmons@theblade.com

or 419-724-6302.