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Reynoldsburg 67, Pickerington Central 51 - Prospect Scouting Report

By Emma Ervin, 12/01/21, 9:30AM EST

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It was a tale of two halves as Reynoldsburg dispatched Pick Central on Tuesday

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- It was a tale of two halves in Tuesday’s OCC Buckeye matchup between Reynoldsburg and Pickerington Central. Despite being the first league contest for these teams, title hopes were on the line. The Tigers jumped out to an early lead but the Raiders used an explosive second half to cruise to a 67-51 win. 

The Tigers hopped out to an early 5-0 lead thanks to their full court press. Six straight points from sophomore Berry Wallace and Junior Olivia Cooper gave Pickerington Central a nine point lead midway through the quarter. After two baskets by Reynoldsburg senior Imarianah Russell and a free throw by Cooper, the Tigers maintained a 19-11 lead to end the first quarter. 

The Raiders slowly chipped away at the lead in the second. Seniors Mya Perry and Russell started clicking on offense, dropping eight points each during the period. Reynoldsburg picked up the defensive pressure and held Pickerington Central to just seven points in the quarter. Senior Jamiona Ross was a major force, locking down Madison Greene who scored five points in the first quarter. The Raiders entered halftime with a 29-26 lead. 

The third quarter was one of the best quarters of basketball the 270 crew has seen this season. Wallace trimmed the Raider’s lead to one point (37-36) before Reynoldsburg kicked off an 11-0 run highlighted by six straight points by Perry. Wallace scored two points near the end of the quarter but the damage was already done. Countless turnovers by the Tigers provided Reynoldsburg a comfortable 50-38 lead with one quarter to go. 

Cooper, one of Pickerington Central’s leading scorers, picked up her fourth foul early in the fourth and this proved to be too much to overcome for the Tigers. The Raiders dominated the fourth quarter, holding the Tigers without a basket until 2:01 left in the game. Perry and Russell continued their domination, scoring five and eight points each leading to the win.

Reynoldsburg was led by Russell with 28, Perry with 21, and Samara Savoy with 13. Green paced Pickerington Central with 16 in the loss. She was supported by Wallace with 13 and Cooper with 11. 

Let’s take a look at some top performers from Tuesday:

Imarianah Russell (6’0 G / Reynoldsburg / 2022) - Russell, a West Virginia signee, looked like her old self Tuesday. After settling in, she scored eight points in each of the final three frames for a total of 28. She knocked down a three and finished through a tremendous amount of contact. Central, like many teams, struggled to stop her on the drive and offensive boards where she did the most damage. Russell broke loose in transition many times thanks to the Raiders tenacious defense and she converted consistently in the open court. She is making an early case for Central District POY.

Mya Perry (5’11 G / Reynoldsburg / 2022) - This was one of the best games we have seen Perry, an Ohio State signee, play. You can usually find her draining threes all day but when they were not falling Tuesday, she decided to make impacts in other ways. All of her 21 points came from inside the three point line and many came in transition. Her defense was a difference maker for the Raiders and led to many points. Her versatility on the offensive end makes her one of the best players in the area. 

Jamiona Ross (5’8 G / Reynoldsburg / 2022) - Ross was the unsung hero of Tuesday’s game for Reynoldsburg. She didn't score a single point but her impact on the defensive end was MASSIVE. She forced an unbelieve amount of turnovers and kept the ball out of Madison Greene’s hands. She has an unreal motor, provides relentless pressure and has great lateral quickness. After a hot start by Greene, Ross locked her down and held her scoreless for a big part of the second quarter. 

Olivia Cooper (6’1 F / Pickerington Central / 2023) - Cooper continues to impress us. She is a great vocal leader for the Tigers, has a high motor and is consistent. She can score in a variety of ways as displayed Tuesday. She can get to the rim and finish through contact, knock down threes and isn't afraid to handle the ball the entire length of the court. She had a tough assignment on defense in guarding Russell but frequently held her own in a 1:1 situation.

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