BERLIN, Ohio—For the 17th year in a row northeast Ohio and Amish Country is the place to be for Martin Luther King weekend. No, Dr. King didn’t march here in the 60’s but his legacy and that of legendary Berlin Hiland coach Perry Reese Jr. are honored annually with one of the most unique and highly regarded basketball tournaments on the schedule.
The Classic in the Country captures all that is special about this picturesque setting an hour south of Cleveland. The basketball speaks for itself, the hospitality is without peer and the reminders of some special people who have gone before us are abundant throughout the weekend in the Perry Reese Center. It’s certainly not lost on participants, coaches, fans and media why it’s a holiday weekend and the meaning of the lives of two honorable men has had on both our personal and athletic landscapes.
The 2020 Classic in the Country will have showcased 22 games by the time all is said and done Monday, two more than in years past. In all, 34 teams will take the floor including two ranked in the top 10 nationally and 3 of the 4 number one teams in their respective Ohio classifications. Joining the Buckeye programs this year are Winston Salem Christian out of North Carolina and Homestead from next door in Indiana. Saturday’s schedule featured eight games to open the action. Below you can see results and images as well as a brief statistical synopsis of each game. Check back Sunday and Monday evening for more from the 17th annual Classic in the Country.
Game one was virtually over before it started. Loudenville was without their leading scorer and found themselves down 20 – 5 after just one quarter. A 19 – 6 second period wasn’t much help leaving them with a 28 point halftime deficit. The second half saw Fort Loramie pour it on with a deep, talented and young team. When the final horn sounded it was a blistering 79 – 19 win in which they held Loudenville to single digits in all four quarters. Sophomore Ava Sholtis was named Player of the Game by virtue of her 19 point 10 rebound effort. Impressive junior forward Dana Rose added 15 more points in the win. Fort Loramie shot 44.2 percent from the field while holding Loudenville to just 18.2 as a team. The also dominated the glass by 10 and forced 39 turnovers while only committing just 13 themselves.
Game two looked like it was going to be a runaway as well with Margaretta jumping out to a 27 – 11 lead at the break. Tri-Village cut that margin by 4 in the third and in the fourth gave themselves multiple chances to pull off the double figure comeback. It was a two possession game from 3:00 to go until the final horn with Margaretta hanging on for a 62 – 59 win. Elliana Schaefer, a junior guard, was Player of the Game leading the way in the win with 24 points and five assists. She was joined in double figures by seniors Taylor Malson with 14 and Jayden Moore with 12. Left handed freshman Rylee Sagester led Tri-Village with 23 including a 6 for 13 three point effort. Freshman Morgan Hunt added 15 more along with 7 boards.
Mason used a steady and consistent effort to outscore Canton McKinley in each of four periods and pull away for a convincing 53 – 30 win. The Comets led each period by 7, 6, 5 and 5 while allowing McKinley to hit double figures only in the second quarter. Mason freshman Margo Mattes was named Player of the Game finishing with 21 points and eight rebounds. Mattes also shot 8 of 15 from the floor in the win. Junior Marilyn Popplewell added 13 more while senior Alanna Carter posted 10. McKinley got 11 from junior guard Nakyah Terrell in the loss.
Napolean came out of the gate hard racing to a 24 – 7 lead on Western Reserve and extended the gap to 42 – 15 at the half. While Western Reserve put up 12 points in the third they gave up 22 more and in the end fell 72 – 31. Napolean forced their opponents into 20 turnovers while committing just 5 across an entire 32 minute game. It also helped that they shot 52.7 percent while WR struggled at 29.7. Junior Taylor Strock led the scoring in the win with 25 and was named Player of the Game. She also was 10 of 12 from the floor including 2 of 2 from long range. Three others hit double figures in the win. Junior post Danielle Vuletich had 14 points and 7 rebounds in the loss.
The first half of the Lakota West – Hoover game was a give and take with each dominating one of the first two periods. At the half Lakota West held a 20 – 19 lead in a low scoring affair. Lakota West opened things up in the third with a 17 to 12 run and holding ground in the final period to claim a 47 – 41 win. Both teams shot under 40 percent from the floor and Hoover actually won the battle on the glass by 10. Lakota West connected on five three pointers while Hoover finished with none for the game. Sophomore Chance Gray had 4 of those long balls in the win leading to 21 points and being named Player of the Game. Peyton Davis, a senior guard headed for Wingate, had 20 for Hoover.
Fairmont and GlenOak came out of the gate battling with the Firebirds owning a 5 point lead after one quarter. A convincing 21 – 4 second period followed by 11 and 10 point margins in the remaining stanzas led to a 78 – 35 blowout for Fairmont. Five players hit double figures in the win. Sophomore Mallory Hullinger had 18, all from three point shots. Senior Madison Bartley shot 7 for 10 finishing with 17 points while classmate Madeline Westbeld had a double-double of 15 points and 7 rebounds. Player of the Game Makira Webster added 12 more to go with her 7 assists while fellow senior Kierra Thornton added 11 of her own. Nobody reached double figures for GlenOak in the loss.
Nationally ranked and defending state champion Mt. Notre Dame had their hands full early with Laurel. Laurel jumped up 10 after one period only to see the Cougars storm back to lead at the half 33 – 29. MND added 4 more to the lead in the third but Laurel made run in the fourth falling short 62 – 57 in the end. Laila Phelia led the scoring in the win posting 16 points on a 8 for 13 shooting effort. KK Bransford added 15 more while being named Player of the Game. Junior Taylor Thierry led Laurel with 25 points, the result of 10 for 20 effort from the floor. Senior Giuliana Marinozzi added 11 while heralded freshman Mari Bickley had 9 more.
Playing Berlin Hiland in the Reese Center is tantamount to climbing Mt. Everest. Winston Salem Christian got to the top but not without a tooth and nail battle from the Lady Hawks. Hiland trailed 12 – 4 after the first period. They used a 13 – 10 period of their own to cut the margin to 22 – 17 at the half. Things were all even in the third 9 – 9 before a wild fourth period led to a heartbreaking 44 – 41 loss for Hiland against their nationally ranked opponent. Point guard Sandrine Clesca, a junior, led WSC in scoring with 12 while Player of the Game Kiandra Brown finished with 10. Hiland got 21 from junior forward Zoe Miller.
