Arcanum rallies in 4th quarter for win over Bradford

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Arcanum coach Kevin Brackman gives instructions to Jr. Cole Kessler & Sr. Landon Flatter.  The Trojans came from behind to pick up a 57-41 win over Bradford.  (Dale Barger photo)

ARCANUM – The Trojans boys basketball team trailed 38-35 heading into the 4th quarter but leaned on their defense to stymie the Railroaders in the 4th quarter then finished strong offensively to hand Bradford a disappointing 57-41 WOAC defeat.

“I felt like I was screaming the whole night but finally our offense caught up to our defense,” Arcanum Coach said after the game.

Bradford led early in the first quarter behind the play of senior point guard Owen Canan who scored the first 9 points of the game for the Roaders.  He would end up with 11 of their 13 points in the 1st quarter.

Owen Canan 2nd leading scorer in WOAC at 19.5 ppg had 11 in 1st quarter but shut down by Arcanum defense the rest of way ending the game 6 under his average with 13 points. (Dale Barger photo)

Arcanum trailed 13-11 heading into the 2nd quarter got a boost from Matthew McCans with 7 points and 9 at the half to give the Trojans a one-point lead 27-26 at the break.

Bradford would take advantage of getting to the free throw line in the 2nd quarter shooting 9-for-11.  Rallie Wirrig had 5 points off free throws and Zage Harleman scored 6 points for the Roaders.

Arcanum coach Kevin Brackman wasn’t happy with the flow of the game in the first half but was pleased with contributions from a number of younger guys.

Coach Brackman was pleased with contributions from younger players when saddled by fouls early in game.  So. Jace Mote knocks down a corner three ball to help the Trojans. (Dale Barger photo)

“The flow of the game was not ideal, in that first half, a lot of fouls were called. We fought through a little light adversity and at one time, we had, I think, three starters and a solid role player off the bench all two fouls there in the second quarter.  So, they sat there for a while, but we had guys step up. Our JV point guard, Jace Smote, played significant minutes tonight, and even saw one go down from deep. And so, we leaned on our bench, and they were able to kind of keep us around, that’s a testament to our kids,”

Bradford would regain the lead 30-29 in the 3rd quarter on a lay-up from jr. guard Avery Felver and then expanded their lead to 38-29 with 3:38 to play in the 3rd quarter.

But the Trojans defense shut the Roaders out the rest of the quarter and buckets from Cole Kessler and Cameron Ball inside helped narrow the gap to 38-35 heading into the final frame.

Cameron Ball rebounded and scored well for Arcanum to help get win over Bradford. (Dale Barger photo)

Bradford’s offense would all but disappear in the 4th quarter with Arcanum hedging ball screens strong doubling up on Canan not allowing the Railroaders to get into any kind of offense.

Arcanum senior Landon Flatter would do what he has done many times late in the game scoring on back-to-back buckets by getting to the rim to re-capture the lead for the Trojans 40-39.

Landon Flatter goes strong to the hoop and scored 14 points in win over Bradford. (Dale Barger photo)

The Trojans kept hammering away with Ball getting a bucket off a turnover followed by a free throw to go up 43-39.  Wirrig answered with a fielder in the paint to close to 43-41 but Bradford would get shut out in the final 4:15 of the game.

Wirrig picked up his 4th foul and eventually fouled out taking away a scoring threat and outlet for when Canan when he was double or triple teamed.

Rallie Wirrig had a double double scoring and rebounding, pulls down a rebound in game with Arcanum. (Dale Barger photo)

Coach Brackman talked about the key to winning was keeping Owen Canan in check who ended the game with 13 points after scoring 11 in the 1st quarter.

“In a game like this anytime he touches the ball, he’s a tremendous player and does tremendous things. And for him to come out and score the first nine points of the game, 11 in the first quarter, we knew we were kind of in for it. I felt like our defense stepped up. We were able to force some deflections, which led to turnovers and then allowed us to kind of separate ourselves especially late in the game,”

Brackman gave credit to jr. Cole Kessler for helping contain and slow down Owen Canan which would be a big key in slowing down the Bradford offense.

Coach Brackman praised Jr. Cole Kessler & noted it was his best performance this year and key in helping the Trojans to a win over Bradford. (Dale Barger photo)

Kessler would be one of four Arcanum players scoring in double figures for the game.  Landon Flatter and Matthew McCans each had 14 points, Cameron Ball 12 and Kessler 10 in the game.

Bradford was led by Canan’s 13 points and Rallie Wirrig had 11.

The Railroaders fall to 5-8 overall and 3-3 in the WOAC.  They will play at Mississinawa Valley next Friday.

Arcanum improves to 8-5 and 4-2 in the WOAC, they’ll play at Riverside Saturday night.

Bradford senior Zage Harleman scored 8 points for Bradford in game at Arcanum. (Dale Barger photo)