Smith carries Shawnee past Elida

SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP - Shawnee's Cody Smith was held in check the first time around against Elida.

He wanted to make sure it didn't happen again.

Smith tossed in 23 points to lift Shawnee to a 58-53 boys basketball victory over Elida on Friday at Shawnee's Lappin Gymnasium.

Elida knocked off Shawnee 45-41 in the Tip-Off Classic at the Elida Fieldhouse this year. In that game, Smith was held under 10 points.

So when Elida led 24-20 at the half and Smith had only two points, it appeared the game was heading down the same path.

But Smith scored 16 in the third quarter to help Shawnee pull out to a 41-33 lead entering the final quarter.

"I had six against them the first time and I had two at halftime and I told myself, ‘I got to start playing. I got to take the team and have to go,'" Smith said.

Instead of settling for 3-pointers or jump shots, Smith began driving his way to the basket, or dribbling inside the lane and pulling up for an 8-footer.

"In the first half I was being tentative and relying on my outside shot," Smith said. "He told me had to start attacking the basket."

Shawnee stands 6-2, 2-0 in the Western Buckeye League. Elida is 4-5, 0-2 in the WBL.

"I thought (in the second half) we did a better job of attacking them and getting better shots and being the aggressor," Shawnee coach Nick Bertke said.

Garrick Warthem added 19 points for Shawnee, while Jacob Myers scored eight. Marcus Lowe had four points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

Bo Mathias led Elida with 16 points. Desmond Ragin scored 14, while Alex McAdams had 12.

Shawnee's 9-0 run to close the third quarter was the key. Smith's 3-pointer with three seconds left in the third made it 41-33.

"It was all the third quarter," Elida coach Denny Thompson said. "We had mental breakdowns in the third quarter (offensively and defensively)."

In the final quarter, Elida came back with help from eight points by Alex McAdams. McAdams' follow shot got Elida within 50-47 with 2:16 to play.

But Elida turned the ball over on a three-seconds call on its next possession

Elida stayed close with two long-range 3-pointers in the final minute by Reggie McAdams and Mathias.

Mathais hit a 35-foot 3-pointer to get Elida within 56-53 with nine seconds left. Warthem closed it out with a pair of free throws with eight seconds to go to make it 58-53.

Shawnee outrebounded Elida 34-23.

Another difference this time around was Smith's knee felt much better.

"I'm healthier and feel a lot better and a lot quicker," he said.