Hartville Eagles win third straight Clever Tournament title

The Hartville Eagles’ basketball team won their third straight Clever Tournament championship last week after defeating Aurora in the finals of the 91st annual classic, 64-53.
Harville opened the championship game with Aurora by making four 3-pointers in a 20-point frame.
Newcomer Harmon Johns made two 3-pointers and scored eight points while Gus Sinning added his own 3-pointer and scored seven points.
In the second quarter, Payton Cogdill picked up six points. Meanwhile, Boone Garrison added his second 3-pointer of the first half to lift the Eagles to a 36-29 halftime lead.
Aurora cut the lead to four by the end of the third quarter.
In the final frame, Jackson Ward nearly singlehandedly closed out the game. Ward, an All-Tournament selection, made 9-of-10 free throws and finished with 15 of his team-high 20 points in the final quarter.
Harmon Johns was also named to the All-Tournament team and scored 13 points. Both Payton Cogdill and Garrison had 10 points; Sinning had seven points; while Mason Cogdill scored four points.
In the semifinals, the Eagles scored zero points in the third quarter and just seven total in the second half. Fortunately, their 11-point lead at halftime helped them to seal the 42-37 win over Clever.
Hartville made six 3-pointers in a 35-point first half. Garrison scored five points in the first quarter  to help the Eagles open with a 16-8 run.
Sinning scored nine points before halftime to help his team take a 35-24 halftime lead. Mason Cogdill added five points in that stretch.
Sinning led the Eagles in the win with 14 points; Garrison and Ward both scored seven points; while Harmon Johns had our points.
In the opening round, the Eagles crushed larger school Marshfield, 62-21, as the defense held the Bluejays to less than seven points in all four quarters.
Ward led Hartville with 20 points; Mason Cogdill made two 3-pointers and finished with 14; Harmon Johns had 13; Truett Coryell scored seven points; Sinning had six points; and Garrison scored two points.