BALTIMORE, Ohio -- With a three-game win streak and eyes on a share of the MSL-Buckeye conference, the Logan Elm Braves looked to secure a win on the Liberty Union Lions' home court.

After a four-game win streak for Liberty Union, the Lions once again found themselves in a losing streak of two. Although on a losing streak, Liberty Union had begun to develop and offensive rhythm especially apparent in their game against Heath. This game was major for both teams, as they had both reached midway points that could boost or cause a decline in team performance.

The Braves controlled the game and always kept a sizable up until the end, when the Lions came up close in a comeback effort. That effort wasn't enough, as Logan Elm held on to a 58-52 win on the road.

Logan Elm started out hot and stayed hot for almost the entire game with some pretty incredible shots. The Braves won largely due to junior Isaac Ward who put up 24 points and was hitting from everywhere on the floor. The Lions struggled all game on the offense end and on the boards. The Lions put together a last ditch effort in the fourth pulling to within five but ended up losing 58-52.

Logan Elm started out strong on the offensive end and absolutely controlled the first quarter. Hitting nearly every shot they got a look at, the Lions were quite the contrary. The Lions were getting open looks but started out cold, allowing the Braves to start the game on a 14-2 run. Ward was a standout player from beginning to end, coming out in the first and putting up seven of his teams 16 first quarter points and led 16-6.

At the beginning of the second, the Lions immediately hit a three-pointer, cutting the deficit to seven. After cutting the deficit to single digits the Braves responded back harshly with an 8-1 run, putting them at 24-7. As the quarter progressed Liberty Union’s offense began to find a groove and were able to trade buckets rather than allow massive runs. The Lions slowly chipped away the initial run the Braves made and brought it to 32-20 at halftime.

The Lions came out of the locker room blazing hot and looked like they were the superior team for the first portion of the third. The major difference for Liberty Union was the open shots were falling and they were playing solid defense, contrary to the entire first half. Logan Elm, showing their resilience, went on a run of their own and were able to slowly stretch the lead up to 11, leading 40-29 going into the final quarter.

In the final frame, Liberty Union quickly put pressure on the Braves pulling to within six in the first two minutes of the quarter and were in perfect position to complete a comeback. However, like the trend of most of the game the Lions let the Braves slip right through the cracks and stretching the lead back to 11 with only 3:30 remaining.

Liberty Union continued to make last ditch efforts towards the end of the game and after chucking up a few three-pointers in desperation the Braves were able to ice the game on free throws.

Logan Elm now sits just one game back of Fairfield Union in the Buckeye division and will look to exact revenge on the Falcons in the next meeting between the teams on Feb. 4. 

For Liberty Union, the Lions will look to bounce back on Tuesday at aforementioned Fairfield Union. 

Isaac Ward (5’10 G / Logan Elm / 2021): Ward was a difference maker for this Braves team and was a large offensive push that led the team to victory. Ward produced the majority of his points from inside the arc and at the free throw line ending the game with 24. He possesses elite finishing skills that he put on display against a struggling team. With the Lions attempting a comeback all game, Ward was always the first one down the court looking for a bucket or to draw a foul to slow the game down. While not being an amazing individual defender, Ward played perfectly into his team’s game plan and was a major impact whenever he set foot on the court. The leadership abilities he has have been showing this season and are only going to improve with the experience he gains going into the next season.

Gabe Chalfin (6’0 G / Logan Elm / 2021): Chalfin is an amazing role player that takes advantage of every opportunity that he gets on the floor. Chalfin played perfectly into Ward’s strong night and supplemented his teams success. The junior guard put up 12 points on a high efficiency night and was the go to man when Ward was off the court. With three steals on the night, Chalfin proved his defensive abilities and excelled in the positions he was put into. He is also an amazing teammate and could be an X factor for this Logan Elm team leading into the postseason. Look for Chalfin to continue to produce alongside Ward and have a few spectacular individual nights of his own.