Pandora-Gilboa’s Aiden Harris goes strong to the basket against Miller City‘s Andon Ruhe (left), Will Otto (right), and Brendan Barlage (back), Monday night in Miller City.
Nate Reynolds | The Lima News.
MILLER CITY – Coming into Monday’s key Putnam County League boys basketball matchup at Miller City, Pandora-Gilboa senior Aiden Harris needed six points to join the 1,000-point club.
Harris recorded his 1,000th career point, early into the second quarter of Monday’s contest.
However, it was Harris’ next 12 points (18 points for the game), along with his six rebounds, three blocks, and three steals that helped lead Pandora-Gilboa to a hard-fought 52-40 victory over Miller City.
With the win, P-G remains undefeated as it improves to 10-0 overall and 3-0 in the PCL. Miller City slips to 7-3 in all games, and 1-1 in PCL action.
“He (Aiden Harris) is the most top-level, top-notched, most experienced kid that we have on the floor,” P-G coach Mike Lee said. “Naturally, you want the ball in his hands when you need a basket. He does a lot of things for us at both ends of the floor.”
Along with Aiden Harris’ 18 points; Colin Harris had 10 points, five rebounds, four steals, and two assists for Pandora-Gilboa. Nate Maag scored eight points, including two 3-pointers. Aidan Morris added seven points and two steals for the Rockets.
Brendan Barlage led Miller City with 12 points. Will Otto added 11 points, including three 3-pointers. Andon Ruhe had seven points and six boards for the Wildcats.
P-G came away with a 14-11 lead by the end of the first quarter. At the halftime break, P-G was still clinging to a 3-point advantage, 30-27.
Will Otto kept Miller City close as he tallied all of his 11 points on the night, in the first half.
However, the Rockets went cold in the third quarter, connecting on just 2 of 10 shots from the field. Miller City came away with a 38-35 lead by the third stop.
The Rockets regrouped.
P-G was 7 of 10 shooting from the floor in the final eight minutes of action as the Rockets outscored the Wildcats 17-2 in the fourth. Aiden Harris scored six fourth-quarter points and came away with a couple of steals down the stretch to help lead his team to the victory.
“We were very active on the floor when we needed to be,” Lee said. “But the third quarter did not go our way. They (Miller City) did a very good job. They started killing us inside with their two bigs.
“When we flipped to that zone – not that the zone was the far-wrenching answer that we needed – it saved us in a couple of possessions. It threw them out of rhythm a little bit.”
For the game, Miller City shot 37.1 percent from the field. Pandora-Gilboa connected on 42.5 percent of its field goal attempts.
Miller City turned the ball over 19 times, while P-G committed just eight turnovers.
Miller City won the battle on the boards, 26-20.
“Miller City has been playing really good basketball,” Lee said. “So, we knew, going in, that we were going to have our hands full. Our team needs to be playing this level of competition at this time (of the season). It only makes you better. … That’s what we’re hoping down the road.
“But give credit to their kids. They busted their tails. And I couldn’t be prouder of the group I have right now.”
Pandora-Gilboa 14 16 5 17 – 52
Miller City 11 16 11 2 – 40
Pandora-Gilboa
Colin Harris 10, Aiden Harris 18, Owen Huffman 2, Aidan Morris 7, Nate Walker 2, Zach Neuenschwander 5, Nate Maag 8. Totals: 20-7-52.
Miller City
Brendan Barlage 12, Silas Niese 5, Jude Otto 2, Will Otto 11, Owen Tobe 3, Andon Ruhe 7. Totals: 13-10-40.
3-pointers made: P-G – Colin Harris 1, Aidan Morris 1, Nate Maag 2, Zach Neuenschwander 1; Miller City – Silas Niese 1, Will Otto 3
Records: P-G 10-0, 3-0 PCL; Miller City 7-3, 1-1 PCL
