Northwestern 68, Benjamin Logan 63
The Benjamin Logan Raiders saw their season come to an end Monday night, falling 68–63 to conference rival Northwestern in a hard-fought OHSAA tournament first-round matchup. The loss closes the Raiders’ campaign with a 6–17 record.
It marked the third meeting of the season between the division foes, with the home team winning each regular-season matchup. This time, Northwestern added a neutral-site tournament victory to the season series.
Both teams came out flying in the opening quarter, pushing the pace and trading baskets in a back-and-forth start. Northwestern held a slim 21–20 edge after one quarter, fueled by a big offensive burst from Warrior guard Mason McDermott.
The Warriors seized control in the second quarter by turning up the defensive pressure. Northwestern outscored Benjamin Logan 21–9 in the period, with McDermott continuing to torch the nets. He poured in 27 first-half points, drilling five three-pointers, including a deep buzzer-beater near midcourt, to send Northwestern into the locker room with a 42–29 lead.
Benjamin Logan responded with urgency after halftime, opening the third quarter on a 7–0 run to trim the deficit to six. The Raiders adjusted defensively, frequently double-teaming and trapping McDermott. Senior center Peyton Vermillion made his presence felt inside, scoring eight points in the quarter as the Raiders flipped the momentum. Benjamin Logan outscored Northwestern 20–9 in the frame, cutting the lead to just two at 51–49 entering the fourth. McDermott was held to only three points in the quarter.
The Raiders carried that momentum into the fourth, opening with a 5–0 run to take a 54–51 lead. Northwestern answered with seven quick points to reclaim the advantage at 58–54. The Warriors kept the Raiders at arm’s length down the stretch, and timely three-pointers from AJ Cornell, along with a late surge from McDermott, helped Northwestern hang on for the 68–63 win.
Benjamin Logan battled relentlessly until the final horn, but Northwestern’s shooting proved to be the difference.
Raider head coach Scott Vermillion talks about the effort from his team and sharing a moment with his senior son.
For Northwestern, Mason McDermott led all scorers with a career-high 37 points, knocking down five three-pointers and powering the Warrior offense from start to finish.
AJ Cornell followed with 17 points, connecting on three triples, including key shots in the fourth quarter. Brayden Bechtel added six points, while Kobe Sothard scored four. Carson Adams chipped in three points, and Tyler Hornberger rounded out the scoring with one point.
Benjamin Logan was paced by Peyton Vermillion, who posted 15 points and seven rebounds while anchoring the paint. Maddox Vermillion and Roman Maxwell each scored 13 points, with Maddox adding three three-pointers, five assists, and three rebounds. Christian Rogan contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and a block.
Diesel Baughman finished with four points, three rebounds, and two assists, while Carter Fay added four points, four assists, and a steal. Cayden Brown rounded out the scoring with two points, three rebounds, and three assists.
