Cavaliers pick up first win

COLDWATER - Playing with the lead had been problematic for the Coldwater boys basketball team early in the season.

That wasn't the case Tuesday night.

The Cavaliers, leading Kenton by six points at halftime, used a 17-7 third quarter spurt to seize control of the game and held on to pick up their first victory of the season in a 60-49 decision at the Palace.

"We've got to get used to playing with the lead. We had the lead in a couple of earlier games against some good, quality teams and we lost the games," Coldwater coach Mike Bruns said, referring to earlier season losses to Marion Local and Celina. "So this was good in that respect.

"I felt like at times, we played not to lose instead of to win. We played with a little stiffness and a little rigidness out there, but we overcame that - and we got the monkey off our back. We got that 'W.' That's the most important thing."

Aaron Harlamert scored 18 points and Andy Brunet also scored 18 and pulled down 12 rebounds for Coldwater, which moves to 1-5 on the season.

Harlamert scored the first four points of the game but then Kenton responded with a 6-0 run. Coldwater came right back and grabbed a 13-9 lead before Kenton's Austin Phillips found convenient banking hours from behind the arc to make it 13-12 heading into the second quarter.

Phillips had 10 of the Wildcats' first 14 points, with his double-clutch jumper giving his team a 14-13 edge to open the second. That, however, was the last time the Wildcats led.

It was a two-man show offensively starring Harlamert and Brunet in the second quarter. Harlamert scored 13 in the first half and Brunet added eight points and seven rebounds as the Cavs took a 25-19 advantage into the break, capped by Harlamert's triple at the buzzer.

"Aaron got us some quick buckets early on, hit some layups and then hit a couple threes," Bruns said. "He's definitely stepping up his scoring from last year. He's really improved a lot from last year, and he's just going to get better."

Derek Thobe's lob pass set up an alley-oop dunk by Brunet to start the second half. Shortly after, Dylan Thobe swished home a three-ball and Jack Hemmelgarn, who had three assists in the quarter, set up Neal Muhlenkamp for a layup to put Coldwater in front 34-22. By the end of the period, the margin expanded to 42-26.

After being limited to just seven points in eachof the second and third quarters, the Wildcats scored seven in the first 1 1/2 minutes of the fourth to bridge the gap to 11. Kenton cut the lead to 55-48 with 1:45 but it got no closer.

The Wildcats were paced offensively by Phillips, who scored a game-high 20 points, and Colyn Blackford (18 points).

Malave Bettinger provided Coldwater with some good minutes off the bench, scoring nine points and adding four boards.

The Cavaliers host state-ranked Delphos St. John's on Friday in Midwest Athletic Conference play.