Boys Basketball: Damon Griffin’s late baskets lift Reynoldsburg over Dublin Coffman
Reynoldsburg girls rally for win in doubleheader opener
Friday, December 15, 2023
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Reynoldsburg junior guard Damon Griffin goes up for the shot against Dublin Coffman in the Raiders’ 62-58 win at Coffman Dec. 15. Photo: Kevin Lam
Held scoreless the entire night, Damon Griffin came through when his team needed him the most.
The junior guard scored the go-ahead basket with 1 minute, 52 seconds remaining to give the Reynoldsburg boys basketball team the lead for good.
He added his second basket a possession later and the Raiders held off host Dublin Coffman 62-58 in a non-league game on Dec. 15.
“(Coach Andy Moore) was just telling us to execute and drive if we had an open lane,” said Griffin, who also had five rebounds and three steals. “I think (Coffman) had eight threes (by halftime). Our coach said not to get discouraged – just keep playing hard and keep fighting.”
Griffin, who previously played at Columbus South, is exactly what the Raiders needed this season.
“He’s been great for us,” said junior guard/forward Jordan Fisher, who had 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks for Reynoldsburg. “He’s the missing piece that we’ve needed – a true point guard. He works hard and I’m just glad to have him.”
Toby Nowokolo had 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four blocks and Jordan Bowens added 15 points and four rebounds.
But it was Xavier McKinney that sparked the Raiders (5-0) in the fourth quarter where he scored all eight of his points.
Dublin Coffman junior Colin McClure works against Reynoldsburg sophomore Jordan Bowens during the Raiders’ win at Coffman Dec. 15. Photo: Kevin Lam
“Damon Griffin and Xavier McKinney both hadn’t scored throughout the game, but then made big plays down the stretch,” Moore said. “That’s what I really like about our team. Noah Smith can score, Jordan Fisher can score, Jordan Bowens can score and Toby Nowokolo can score – but those guys (Griffin and McKinney) are capable as well. They came up big for us tonight.”
In a fast paced, high-octane game that saw the teams within a possession of each other most of the night, the Raiders’ biggest lead didn’t come until a pair of Fisher free throws with less than 4 seconds remaining to give Reynoldsburg a 62-55 cushion.
Colin McClure banked in a half-court shot at the buzzer to account for the final tally.
McClure led the Shamrocks (1-3) with 21 points, three assists and a pair of steals.
Coffman hit 13 3-pointers in the game. Declan Faherty hit four of them to account for all 12 of his points and Stone Clifton knocked down three and finished with 11 points and eight rebounds.
“I thought we came out strong – we like to play fast and we like to go up and down,” Coffman coach Adam Banks said. “We like to play free and when guys are hot, we like to shoot as long as we defend and rebound. They played really hard and played well. Unfortunately, we just didn’t have enough at the end. I think sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce your way.”
Reynoldsburg’s Sa’Mahn Johnson (left) battles for the basketball with Dublin Coffman’s Addison McGrath during the Raiders’ road win Dec. 15. Photo: Kevin Lam
Johnson’s late basket completes Reynoldsburg girls’ comeback win
Sa’Mahn Johnson drove to the basket, splitting a pair of defenders before flipping the ball up and into the basket with 4 seconds left to give the Reynoldsburg girls basketball team a 48-47 lead.
Daniya McDonald stole the ensuing inbound pass and ran out the clock on the Raiders’ comeback win at Coffman in the opener of the doubleheader.
Reynoldsburg trailed by as much as 13 points in the third quarter, but rallied back led by its defense.
The Raiders (6-2), who scored the final six points of the game, got a steal by Malaya Collins to set up an Aubree Price basket to cut the deficit to one with 10.6 seconds left.
Johnson immediately got the ball back for the Raiders when she knocked the inbound pass of Gwen Jenkins’ leg to set up her go-ahead basket.
Johnson finished with eight points, five assists, five rebounds and three steals. Price led the Raiders with 13 points and five steals and added four rebounds and three assists.
Taelynn Clayborn had 11 points and six rebounds and McDonald added six points, three rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks for Reynoldsburg.
Jenkins and Avery Mather had nine points apiece and Ella Krumpak added eight points to lead a balanced Coffman (2-4) attack.
Avery Mather added four rebounds and a pair of assists and Jenkins had three rebounds.
Also for the Rocks, Peyton Mather had 10 rebounds, Kylie Mast had three assists, three rebounds and a pair of steals, Addison McGrath had three rebounds, three steals and a couple of assists.
Dublin Coffman’s Gwen Jenkins shoots the jumper against visiting Reynoldsburg during the Raiders’ win Dec. 15. Photo: Kevin Lam