Senior Ryan Mitchell surveys the floor. Chris Heerman’18/Media editor
The CA boys basketball team’s aspirations of a perfect season were shattered on Friday, February 2, as the Vikes fell to arch-rival Bexley, 50-35. Academy still holds a half-game lead in the MSL.
Before their clash with the Lions, the Vikings hosted Horizon Science Academy on Wednesday, January 31, and defeated the Hawks, 90-48. It was CA’s highest scoring output and largest margin of victory this season. Junior Dorrian Moultrie had 20 points, and senior Addis Boyd, junior Dalyn DeCree, and sophomore Carter Warstler all scored in double figures for the Vikes.
Academy then hit the road to take on Bexley, looking to complete a season sweep of the Lions. It was a back-and-forth first quarter, as the two squads traded punches. Junior Chris Boyle buried a pair of threes for the Vikings, but it was Bexley that held a narrow lead after one, 13-12.
The second period featured more evenly-matched play. Boyle connected on another triple in the opening seconds, and Moultrie scored buckets on consecutive possessions, but the Lions always had a response. Boyle finished with 13, and Moultrie added 9. The teams headed into the break, deadlocked at 22.
In the third quarter, Academy went ice-cold. The Vikes scored just 4 points, as they missed free throws and committed turnovers. On the other end, CA had no answer for Bexley’s offense, and the Lions built an 11-point cushion. It was the worst quarter the Vikings have played all year.
Academy tried to claw its way back into the contest in the final minutes, but Bexley had other plans. The Lions knocked down their free throws down the stretch and came away with a signature victory.
Despite the loss, the Vikes still boast an impressive 15-1 record. They will look to return to the win column when they host Whitehall on Monday, February 5, before traveling to Grandview Heights on Friday, February 9.