BGHS boys get win at Northview without coach Graffin

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Perrysburg Kevin Schenk
(13) looks to get around Bowling Greens Xavier Brown (13) earlier this season. (Photo: Andrew
Weber/Sentinel-Tribune)

SYLVANIA — Playing without its head coach, Bowling Green’s boys basketball team didn’t miss much of a
stride Wednesday at Northview.
The Bobcats got off to a fast start and cruised to a 74-62 Northern Lakes League victory, snapping a
two-game skid in the process.
BG head coach Von Graffin missed the game due to an illness, and could be away from the Bobcats’ bench
for more than a week, according to interim head coach Eric Radabaugh.
“We feel terrible about Coach Graffin and everything that’s happened. We’re all praying for him and
hoping for the best for him,” Radabaugh said of Graffin, who reportedly collapsed at school on Monday
and spent time at the hospital. Graffin is currently at home recovering.
Radabaugh, the Bobcats’ junior varsity coach, stepped in for Graffin as BG came out of the gates strong
in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score might indicate.
“It’s huge to have senior leadership, guys that can just go out there and take games over. They’re easy
to coach with and they set the tone,” Radabaugh said. “And the good thing about this team is the guys
respect our leaders and they listen to them. That’s nice to have as a coach.”
BG’s talented offense was on display from the start, led by senior Chauncey Orr who finished with a
game-high 23 points to go with eight rebounds and four assists.
Fellow senior Xavier Brown added 16 points and five helpers, junior guard Tyler Dunn finished with 13
points off the bench, and senior guard Max Beattie chipped in with 11 points to round out a balanced
scoring attack.
“If our shooters are shooting well they’ve got to focus on that, and then that gives us a chance to give
the big men the ball so they can go down and score,” Dunn said. “So they’ve got to guard all of us and
it’s hard to do I guess.”
After a Northview basket to open the game, BG went on a 10-0 run and eventually finished the first
quarter leading 23-17.
The Bobcats would build their lead to 45-25 at halftime, as BG shot a scorching 70 percent (19-of-27)
from the floor in the first half.
Beattie, Brown and Orr combined for 34 points in the first half and Dunn scored eight points in the
second quarter.
“We wanted to win for him,” Orr said of Graffin. “We know he’s in a tough situation, so as leaders we’re
trying to step up and take it over as a team, and just keep it going … We hope he gets better real
soon and we’ll be glad when he comes back.”
Beattie scored all 11 of his points in the first half and Dunn, playing on his 18th birthday, matched
Beattie with three 3-pointers in the game. BG made 6-of-10 triples in the first half.
Sophomore center Vitto Brown added five blocked shots and Beattie added three steals as the Bobcats got
contributions throughout their lineup.
Northview would make the score respectable in the second half, out-scoring BG 22-12 in the fourth quarter
as the Bobcats cleared out their bench for most of the final quarter.
“A 12-point win in this case, we don’t feel great with this win,” Radabaugh said. “We did things well,
but at the same time, there’s definitely things we still need to work on. But it’s always nice to get a
win.”
Northview held a 32-26 advantage on the boards and finished shooting 46 percent (25-of-54) from the
floor.
Sophomore guard Conner Hartnet led the Wildcats with 18 points, while senior center Jacob Sturt finished
with 17 points and six rebounds. Junior guard Casey Schaffer added 15 points.
The win came after BG suffered two non-league losses to solid opponents, Toledo Whitmer and Westerville
Central.
“Anytime you lose a game it fires you up to come back with a win, to know what you can do to get better,”
Radabaugh said. “We have scorers. We have shooters. We have guys who are going to penetrate and we have
big guys that are going to dominate. What we need to work on is defense, getting tougher and getting the
ball stopped.”
As for when Graffin will return, Radabaugh believes the coach will be back in the near future.
“He didn’t give me any specifics. He said he hopes a week or two. He’s going day by day right now,”
Radabaugh said. “But you know him, it’s killing him to sit at home, so I’m sure the soonest he can he’ll
be available.”
Northview won the junior varsity game, 55-38. Adam Foster led BG with 16 points.
BGHS 74, NORTHVIEW 62
BGHS
Beattie, 1-3-0—11; X. Brown, 8-0—16; Fairchild, 1-1-0—5; Dunn, 2-3-0—13; Orr, 10-3—23; V. Brown, 1-0—2;
Gardner, 1-0—2; Peet, 1-0—2; Dill, 0-0—0; Augsburger, 0-0—0; Donaldson, 0-0—0. TOTALS: 25-7-3—74.
NORTHVIEW
DiPofi, 0-0—0; Wheaton, 1-0—2; Hartnett, 7-4—18; Schaffer, 3-3-0—15; Severson, 0-0—0; Hall, 0-1-2—5;
Racicot, 1-0—2; Vizina, 0-0—0; Schmidt, 1-1—3; Sturt, 8-1—17; Czerniakowski, 0-0—0. TOTALS: 21-4-8—62.

BGHS
23
22
17
12
—74
NORTHVIEW
17
8
15
22
—62
Junior varsity: Northview, 55-38.

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