There were no exceptions in their Greater Western Ohio Conference opener against Springboro. The Wildcats caused 24 turnovers en route to a 67-55 win over the Panthers on Tuesday night at Springfield High School.
Junior Charles Cunningham had a game-high 23 points and senior Bop Wafer added 14 points off the bench as Springfield improved to 2-0. The Wildcats beat Purcell Marian 80-67 in their season opener on Saturday night.
“I thought everybody bought into their assignment, their job and their role,” Yinger said. “This was a total team effort. It wasn’t about one guy, it was about the collective whole. I just really appreciate the way everyone is buying in, cherishing unity, which is one of our core values. We’re playing together and leaning on one another as a family.”
Junior Brady Gutman had a team-high 12 points for Springboro. The Panthers (4-1) lost for the first time after winning four straight games to start the season.
“We can’t give up 24 turnovers and win a game,” said Springboro coach Brian Bales. “Unofficially, we gave up nine offensive rebounds. I look at that as they got 33 extra possessions than what they should have. You can’t beat a team like that. I think (Coach Yinger) has all the pieces this year. When I scouted them on Saturday, I left thinking they got as much talent as anybody in the league.”
Springfield jumped out to a 13-2 lead after Wafer hit a 3-pointer with a minute remaining in the first quarter. It was 26-18 on a dunk by senior Zy’Aire Fletcher late in the second quarter.
The Wildcats led 43-35 after three quarters. The pushed the lead back to 11 points on an old-fashioned 3-point play by senior Jamar Montgomery early in the fourth.
Springboro wouldn’t get closer than eight points the rest of the way as Springfield sealed its first victory over the Panthers since the 2021-22 season.
Cunningham, who scored 31 points and hit a school record nine 3-pointers in the season opener against Purcell Marian, went 11-for-12 from the free throw line.
“This is what Charles is going to do,” Yinger said. “This is what we expect Charles to do. He’s a heckuva shooter. He puts in the work. He’s a gym rat. He gets to his spots, he has a quick release and guys trust him to knock down shots and he trusts his work. We appreciate what he does for us as a team.”
The Panthers graduated 70 percent of their scoring from last year’s team and are still “trying to figure out who we are,” Bales said.
They host Fairmont on Friday night.
“We’ve got I think a good size advantage a lot of times and we’re not utilizing it,” Bales said. “I gotta do better putting them in spots. We’re not real experienced -- 24 turnovers, you can’t win like that. These guys are going to have to learn the hard way sometimes and we’ll keep plugging and getting better.”
The Wildcats host Centerville (3-0) on Saturday night in a GWOC contest. Centerville beat Northmont 69-49 on Tuesday night. Springfield hasn’t beaten the Elks since December of 2018.
“We just gotta stick to that Wildcat brand we keep talking about, getting back to our roots of defending, getting out in transition and flying around,” Yinger said.
No exceptions.
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