The boys’ basketball team at Meridian High is rolling, having put their lone loss of the season last Monday behind them with three consecutive wins entering Tuesday’s home meeting with Brentsville. The two schools are often bitter rivals in other sports in which they’re frequently battling for regional top dog status, but that would not be the case on this late January evening, as the Mustangs had the Tigers visibly outmatched.
It took a couple minutes for the scoring to begin, as it wasn’t until a Grant Greiner free throw about 90 seconds in that Meridian got on the board, and it wasn’t until a Jarrett Jardine three shortly afterwards that the Mustangs made their first field goal. But then the floodgates opened, and it was a 31-9 lead for the home team after a frame. The advantage expanded to 49-17 at the halftime intermission, with Meridian making seven three-pointers to propel them to the commanding lead.
Coach Jim Smith took things a bit easier in the second half, resting several key players including Daylen Martino and Will Davis. That allowed John Lyman to go to work as he exploded in the third quarter for 12 of his game-high 20 points, and a Billy Asel buzzer-beater made the score 67-34 after three in favor of the Mustangs. Even in the fourth quarter, Meridian would not relent as the bench unit poured it on, and the final tally of 84-39 was able to easily improve the Mustangs to 16-1 on the year.
Asel scored 15 and Davis added 11, joining Lyman in double figures. In less fortunate news, Isaac Rosenberger missed the game with a quad injury and is considered out indefinitely, though assistant coach Bobby Smith said that it’s hopeful he could return by the end of the season. The Mustangs will now have a few days of needed rest before returning to the court on Friday when they host Heritage.
