ZANESVILLE - It's not often Scott Aronhalt finds much to like about a loss.
Following Friday night's 33-32 loss at Dover, Zanesville's first game in 10 days, the Blue Devils' veteran head coach said the team "needs to do some soul searching." Few setbacks have left him so aggravated.
His tune was much different on Saturday.
The host Blue Devils suffered their second straight loss, 63-61 to senior-laden Reynoldsburg at Winland Memorial Gymnasium, but the matter in which it occurred was far more pleasing to the coach's eyes.
Zanesville (7-4) shot 47 percent and had only five turnovers, while collecting assists on 16 of 23 made field goals. The ball movement and screening that Aronhalt felt had been lacking returned.
It still wasn't enough though, as Elijah Thurston led four Raiders in double figures with 17 points. Tre Williams, a 6-7 post player, and Ben Fort, a 6-4 forward, added 14 points and Jamiel Goliday 12.
Zanesville cut a 56-49 deficit with 3:24 left to 61-58 with eight seconds left when Cameron Brooks-Harris hit a 3 from the corner, but Thurston hit both ends of a 1-and-1 to push the lead back to five.
Brooks-Harris hit another 3 the next time down, but without a timeout, the clock ran out on the Blue Devils.
Reynoldsburg (9-5), with nine seniors, was 13-of-22 from the field in the second half — it hit eight of its first 12 — and 24-of-42 overall. Included was an 8-of-14 showing on 3-pointers, with Goliday and Thurston combining to make 5 of 9.
Given Zanesville enjoyed one of its best outside shooting games in recent memory — it hit 13 of 22 from behind the arc — the Raiders needed that production. They were coming off a 60-58 loss to neighboring Gahanna on Friday.
Five different Blue Devils hit 3s.
"Defensively I thought we were much more aggressive, and they're hard to guard. It might not have looked like it, but they shot it extremely well," Aronhalt said of the Raiders, who boasted five players 6-5 or taller, plus Goliday and Thurston in the backcourt.
"Offensively we got back to Zanesville basketball," he added. "We were four out, one in and we entered the post. We moved the ball. I was really pleased. We were back on track to doing the things we try and teach."
Brooks-Harris fired in a game-high 25 points on 9-of-17 shooting — he was 5-of-8 on 3s — but it was Cobe Curry's 18 points that was a sight for sore eyes for Blue Devil fans.
He entered the game having struggled in recent games, but his 11 first-half points helped keep the team close after the Raiders took a 20-7 lead early in the second quarter.
His fourth 3-pointer got the hosts within 52-49 with 5:12 left, as Zanesville almost erased the Raiders' 12-point third-quarter lead.
It was an effort Aronhalt hopes Curry can duplicate in future games. The Devils play three games next week, starting with a home affair with Coshocton on Tuesday.
"We told him to be more aggressive," Aronhalt said. "We had a nice little team talk beforehand, just making sure everybody was on board. We knew this was going to be a tough stretch for us.
"The big thing is we got (Cobe) through the offense some," he added. "We moved it and we got through some screens, so he was able to get some touches. Our guards were better tonight."
Aronde Myers added nine points and Cory Norris six off the bench, while Norris and Kaleb Young had four assists.
Reynoldsburg claimed a 52-38 reserve win behind 11 points from Sahmi Willoughby. Brian Ulbrich's 10 points led the Blue Imps.
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