by Jim Isabella

Correspondent

It is rare that a coach or his players would ever talk in a positive sense about losing a basketball game. 

In reality, losing is tough to deal with, but when a game seems to go on forever, the game becomes memorizing and unforgettable.

For years to come, the Tallmadge boys’ 95-93 loss to Suburban League rival Cloverleaf Feb. 2 in Lodi will be talked about. 

Hey, how can anyone not marvel at two teams playing four overtimes?

“In my many years of being involved in Tallmadge boys, I remember we played a three-overtime game in 1983 and another triple overtime game in a regional semifinal in Willard,” Blue Devils’ first-year head coach Darrell Ayres said. 

“I don’t remember us ever having a quadruple overtime game. I was really proud of the way the kids played. They did all we could do to win it.”

The effort alone by the Blue Devils was additionally extraordinary when one considers the handicap the team was playing under in the extra sessions.

“Tom Linder and Chris West both fouled out in the fourth quarter,” Ayres said. “That meant we had to play our sophomore guard, Mike Strand, and freshman forward Jacob Wood all those minutes.”

The team was already missing guard James Paulus at the two-guard spot because of injury and he was hoping to play Feb. 5 in a home game against Wadsworth or next week. Results of the Feb. 5 Suburban League showdown were not available at press time.

One of the unique aspects of the game was the performance by Colin Wray of the Colts. The Cloverleaf star scored a game-high 46 points and was hitting shots that had everyone shaking their heads.

“We had Jacob Wood on him and I honestly can say he was doing a pretty good defensive job, but Wray was hitting everything,” Ayres said. “He hit fallaways and Jacob would have a hand in his face and he still he shots.”

The Blue Devils also had a scorching scorer. Tucker Linder was smoking hot, nailing 20 of 33 shots and only one field goal was a three-pointer as he finished with a career-high 44 points. He also grabbed 13 rebounds, had three blocked shots, three steals and two assists.

Jim Weiss owns the Tallmadge school for most points in a game with 50 against Ravenna in 1979.

Linder has been one of Tallmadge’s more consistent players this season.

The other player who rang up big stats was Anthony Gotto. The point guard had 24 points and directed the potent offensive attack. Gotto has been one of the more positive developments for Tallmadge this season.

The toughest part for the Blue Devils to swallow was missing three chances to go home with the victory.

“We missed a layup at the end of regulation,” Ayres said. “Then in the first overtime, we have a 15-foot jump shot roll around the rim one and a half times and roll out. In the second OT, we are down two and hit and jumper to tie it, but we missed the foul shot.”

The only thing that really bothered Ayres was something his players had no control over — the discrepancy between the teams at the foul line. Tallmadge had 13 foul shots, but Cloverleaf went to the charity stripe 43 times.  

The Blue Devils, 5-8 overall and 3-7 in the Suburban League as of press time, also lost a 60-48 decision to league foe Barberton Jan. 29 at James O. Maddox Court. Gotto led Tallmadge with 10 points and West and Wood added nine and eight points, respectively.

The Blue Devils are scheduled to entertain Kent Roosevelt Feb. 9 and Suburban League rival Copley Feb. 12. Both contests are set to begin at 7:30 p.m.

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