Adjustments lift Delphos Jefferson past Perry

LIMA - High school basketball games last four quarters: Good for Delphos Jefferson; bad for Perry.

The Commodores scored 17 first-quarter points, then managed only 22 points over the final three periods as they dropped a non-league game to the visiting Wildcats 48-39 in boys basketball action Tuesday night.

Jefferson (3-3) came out in a man-to-man defense and Perry responded by hitting 7-of-10 from the field to grab a 17-10 lead after the first quarter.

The Wildcats started the second period in a 3-2 zone that completely threw the Commodores out of their offensive flow.

"We've been pretty good defensively for the last four years," Jefferson coach Marc Smith said. "Perry got good penetration early but the zone got it back to our tempo."

Perry (3-4) scored only seven second quarter points and got hit by the turnover bug in committing five in the quarter.

Jefferson got the ball inside to 6-foot-4 senior post Matt Gardena, who responded with six second quarter points.

The Commodores went to the break with a 24-20 lead.

But Jefferson opened the third period with back-to-back 3-pointers from Jordan Jettinghoff and Craig Carder. The treys were sandwiched around a pair of turnovers by Perry. Matthew Antalis scored seven points in the quarter to give a big boost to the Wildcats.

Perry managed only six points in the quarter and trailed 33-30 going into the final period of play.

"We got an early lead and then waited for each other to make a play," Perry coach Matt Tabler said. "Our defense played well, we rebounded well, but we just have to make some shots."

Antalis hit all three of his field goal attempts in the fourth quarter and Perry was outscored 15-9 in the period.

Perry managed 41 percent shooting for the game but was only able to connect on 30 percent for the final three periods.

The Commodores committed 16 turnovers to only 10 for the Wildcats, but Perry won the rebound battle by a 23-17 margin.

Antalis led the Wildcats attack with a game-high 15 points while Cody Riepenhoff led Perry with 10 points.