Trotwood pulls away from Springfield in showdown of state-ranked teams

Springfield junior guard Michael Wallace shoots with pressure from Trotwood’s Carl Blanton during a game on Friday night. Bryant Billing/Contributed

Springfield junior guard Michael Wallace shoots with pressure from Trotwood’s Carl Blanton during a game on Friday night. Bryant Billing/Contributed

Springfield and Trotwood-Madison’s showdown Friday night met all expectations from fans in the stands. There were plenty of dunks, behind-the-back passes, steals and solid dribbling by both teams.

But when the game was close in the second half, Trotwood pulled away and claimed bragging rights as the best team in the Greater Western Ohio Conference. Trotwood pulled ahead in the third quarter and ran away late in the fourth to an 88-73 in front of a sellout crowd.

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Both Trotwood (20-2) and Springfield (18-3) had already secured GWOC divisional titles. The squads have only one conference loss each, while every other team in the league had at least two entering Friday. Both are ranked in the top 10 in their respective divisions in the Associated Press state poll.

After trailing most of the game, Trotwood took the lead for good in the final minute of the third quarter. Torrey Patton hit a basket in the paint and followed with a free throw to put the Rams up 58-56, then Carl Blanton followed with a basket after a steal to extend the lead to three. After a Springfield basket was negated by a travel, Patton hit a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to put the Rams up 63-57.

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Patton hit a shot with 2:50 left in the fourth quarter to put the Rams up 76-65 for their largest lead to that point. The lead got bigger, as Trotwood finished on a 12-8 run.

Danny Davis hit two 3-pointers in the first two minutes to give Springfield a 10-2 lead. The Wildcats led by nine at the end of the first quarter, but Trotwood took the lead on a basket by Myles Belyeu late in the first. Springfield finished the second on an 11-7 run to go up 41-38 at halftime.

Belyeu led the Rams with 27 points while Amari Davis added 21. Patton scored 19 for Trotwood, 15 in the second half.

Leonard Taylor led Springfield with 25 points, while Michael Wallace added 12. Davis and RaHeim Moss added 10 apiece.

Springfield sophomore forward RaHeim Moss dribbles with pressure from Trotwood’s Amari Davis during a game on Friday night. BRYANT BILLING / CONTRIBUTED

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Friday’s game was Trotwood’s last in the regular season. The Rams, who are the No. 1 seed in the Dayton Division II sectional, start postseason play Feb. 25 against Hamilton Ross at Trent Arena in Kettering.

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Springfield plays again at home Saturday in a GWOC crossover game against Miamisburg. It is senior night for the Wildcats, whose first tournament game is Feb. 24 against Tecumseh at Trotwood.

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