Medford came to town with an elite player its eighth-grade arsenal.
Deadly from inside and outside, despite being the shortest player on the floor, he (#1) scored all the Tigers’ 19 points in the first half.
But with a more balanced approach, the Clippers were ahead by 11 at the break and went on to defeat the Tigers 54-45.
For the first of his 28 points on the night, Jack Mons (above) ran the ball in for the game’s first basket.
Medford’s #1 responded with a triple, a two-point bucket and then another triple to put his team in front 8-2.
Mons, who also has been on the C and JV teams this year, scored on a jumper from the baseline, and Jake Mueller hit a layup while Medford’s star put in a running jump shot and a layup for a 12-6 Tiger advantage.
Mons plopped in a jumper while Medford’s star scored on a layup that put his team in front 14-8. But after Mueller made the first of a pair of free shots, the Tiger star went off the floor nursing his wrist.
Starting a 19-point Clipper run, Brayden Seeman buried a three from the corner. From there, Mons and Luke Kortuem went to work for nine and seven points respectfully, including a triple from each.
Back out on the floor, Medford’s ace scored from the baseline and sunk another trey. But with a Mons layup between the two, the Clippers led 30-19 at halftime.
Medford’s #1 went on to score 16 more points in the second half to end the night with 35 points, 15 of them released from behind the arc.
The eighth-grade boys will close their season on Thursday when they road trip to St. Clair.
