Maumee holds off host Bryan to take tournament win

Ben Kubicz had 15 points to lead Maumee against Bryan. / Pride of the Panthers

By JEREMY SCHNEIDER

IMA SPORTS

The second season has tipped off for the Maumee boys basketball team, and it couldn’t have gone much better for the Panthers.

Maumee used balanced scoring and a perfect night from the free throw line to take down host Bryan, 59-54, in the Division IV sectional final on Tuesday night.

The Panthers went 14-of-14 from the free throw line, with Ben Kubicz and Carson Graetz each going 4-for-4.

Ben Kubciz’s 15 points led five Panthers who scored at least eight points. Kubicz added five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Eli Dodson had 10 points with two 3-pointers, and four rebounds. Will Kubicz had eight points and five boards.

The post combo of Mike Kiss (eight points, four boards) and Abram Sutherland (nine points, three boards) went 6-of-10 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line.

The Panthers (6-16) will travel to face host and No. 2 seed Bellevue (15-6) at 7 p.m. Thursday in the sectional final. The Redmen beat Maumee, 61-43, in early January.

This was only the ninth tournament win for Maumee in the last 25 years. The Panthers are looking to advance to the district tournament for the first time since 2000, when they beat Springfield in a sectional final to move on in the Division I tournament. They lost to eventual region champ Libbey, 75-46, in the district semifinal.

To get tickets for Thursday’s game, visit https://www.ohsaa.org/tickets.

Photo courtesy of Pride of the Panthers

Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com