by Frank Aceto
Associate Sports Editor
When the two teams met back in December, the Tallmadge boys basketball team was completely humbled by a Suburban League powerhouse.
It was a much different game when they met again Feb. 15. Unfortunately, the end result was the same for the Blue Devils.
The Tallmadge boys basketball team lost a 65-52 decision to Green on the road.
With the loss, the Blue Devils fell to 6-15 overall and 2-11 in the Suburban League.
"We played well," Tallmadge head coach Aaron Hinkle said. "Unfortunately, so did Green and their good is better then our good right now.
"It was a well-played competitive game with many runs by both teams."
The Blue Devils shot 50 percent from the floor.
They made 10-of-18 shots from beyond the three-point arc.
The Bulldogs (18-2, 11-2), who earned a 70-35 win over Tallmadge at James O. Maddox Court earlier in the season, stormed out of the gate to take a 7-0 lead.
Green had a 15-7 advantage after one quarter of play and led 26-21 at halftime.
The Bulldogs' outside shooting took control in the third quarter and Green built a 16-point lead.
Tallmadge cut its deficit to six a few times but did not get any closer.
Anthony Gotto led the Blue Devils with 23 points. He knocked down five three-pointers.
Andrew Francesconi scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half. He drained two threes.
The Bulldogs made nine threes and shot 23-of-38 from the floor.
"Both teams exchanged big shot for big shot," Hinkle said "It was a very competitive, well-played game. They [the Bulldogs] were the better team that night."
Tallmadge was scheduled to conclude the regular season with a home date against Suburban League rival Cloverleaf Feb. 22. Results were not available at press time.
The ninth-seeded Blue Devils are scheduled to play Mogadore Field in a Division II sectional semifinal contest Feb. 25 at Stow-Munroe Falls High School. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Editor's note: Follow Tallmadge Express Associate Sports Editor Frank Aceto on twitter at FrankAceto_RPC.
Email: faceto@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-541-9442
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