Tough season continues for Cambridge, with double OT setback to Marietta

CAMBRIDGE — Cambridge's boys basketball team just can't seem to catch a break this season.

On Friday night, the Bobcats left it all out on the floor for the second time this week.

And for the second time this week, it was another heartbreaking loss, this time to visiting Marietta High, which posted a hard-fought 69-62 double overtime victory,

On Tuesday, Cambridge dropped a disappointing 46-44 road decision to Zanesville in a game that could have went either way. But Cambridge head coach Kyle Pertuset felt Friday's night's loss was the toughest one to take.

"Tonight was a game where every second mattered," Pertuset explained. "It's been a tough year, ongoing disappointments like Tuesday then again tonight. But this one stings a little more, because I thought our kids did what needed to be done to have a win. I felt like they deserved to win and felt like they earned the win on the floor. But then it just didn't happen, as I feel some things that were out of our control preventing us from doing that.

"I'm proud of the kids, proud of their effort. It's just unfortunate, but you know basketball is synonymous with life," Pertuset said. "Things don't always go your way, and you have to chose how are going to react. That includes me, our coaching staff, our players and everybody in the program."

Cambridge's second-year head coach believes his gritty group will show their character in the way they deal with another disappointing finish.

"You choose how you respond to tough times," Pertuset continued. "You can either take time off and feel sorry for yourself or you can focus on controlling what you can control and you get back to work. And that's just what we are going to do − get back to work."

Marietta, who entered the night 12-5, needed a pair of last second 3s to close out regulation then again in the first overtime session to stave off the spirited Bobcats' effort.

The Tigers were able to pull away in the second OT period with a 11-5 scoring edge behind the efforts of 6-7 junior Alex Kendall.

Kendall tallied six points of his game-high 31 in the second OT period.

Cambridge went cold in from the field in the crucial period with a costly 0-for-6 shooting effort field. The Bobcats' points all came from the charity stripe, finishing with 5-for-9 performance. Sophomore Jesiah Barnett turned in a 3-for-5 effort, with senior Davion Bahr going 2-for-2.

Cambridge appeared in good shape to take the victory in regulation, after freshman Garrett Carpenter turned in a clutch 2-for-2 effort from the foul line with just 7.8 seconds left in the game. Carpenter's pair of freebies boosted the Bobcats lead to 46-43.

Following a Marietta time out, the Tigers inbounded the ball and quickly found Isaac Koast who had already canned a pair of 3s in the game. Koast got off a long distance 3 that hit nothing but net to deadlock the game at 46 as time expired to force overtime.

In the first four minute OT session, Carpenter again stepped to the foul line in a key spot with just 10 seconds left to play and Cambridge clinging to a 55-54 lead. Once again the youngster was equal to the challenge and knocked down a perfect 2-for-2 attempts to extend the lead out to 57-54.

Marietta called time out with 6.9 seconds left to set up another last second shot situation. On the inbounds pass, the Tigers managed to get the ball again to Koast looking to connect on another last second shot.

But this time Koast's shot was off the mark and bounced off the rim on a long rebound ending up in the hands of senior A.J. Graham with time winding down. Graham got off a hurried shot that somehow went it again as time expired to tie the game at 57-57 to force the deciding second extra session.

Graham finished with 13 points for the Tigers (13-5), with Koast adding nine on a trio of 3s and Izak Knighten with eight.

Cambridge (4-16) was led by Bahr and Barnett who each pumped in 16 points, with Carpenter checking in with 12 including the clutch 4-for-4 effort from the foul line. Juniors Bradyn Gregg and Regan Rogers each chipped in with five.

Marietta rolled to a 56-21 win in the JV game with Bradyn Jones leading the way with 15 point. Camryn Jeffrey led the Bobcats with eight and Coen Stoner added six.

NEXT − Cambridge will host Warren on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on Senior Night.

Meadowbrook 60, Crooksvile 58

BYESVILLE − Host Meadowbrook High collected that elusive first victory of the season on Friday night, upending Crooksville by a 60-58 margin in MVL action.

Colton Delancey had a team-high 19 points with five assists and Dayne Singleton added 16, including a big dunk, for the Colts, who trailed 8-0 to start the game before leading 16-14 after one quarter, 31-26 at the half and 47-42 through three.

Kordell West chipped in nine points and Easton Eibel had seven points, five assists and three steals for the winners, who led by as many as nine in the third quarter.

"There was a ton of grit and energy from our guys. It was the most juice we felt all year in our gym," Meadowbrook coach Teryn Jarrett said. "There were several big shots from all our guys, and great team defense to end it. It was an all-around phenomenal team effort. Every kid on that bench deserved this and some."

NEXT − Meadowbrook will host West Muskingum on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Girls Basketball

Edison 40, Cambridge 37

EDISON — Cambridge dropped a 40-37 decision to host Edison on Thursday in OVAC playoff consolation action on Thursday evening.

Trailing by a 25-15 margin at halftime, the Lady Bobcats battled back in the second half but were unable to mont the comeback. Cambridge outscored Edison 8-7 in the third period with Kiara Murphy scoring four points and freshman Miranda Cole three to trim the lead to nine.

Krise led the Lady Bobcats (3-19) with 13 points while Cole finished with 12 and Murphy added eight.

NEXT − Cambridge travels to top-seeded West Holmes Wednesday at 7 p.m. in OHSAA Division II sectional tournament action.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Cambridge boys suffer setback to Marietta in double OT