Oak Glen’s Zach Taylor attempts to block a shot from East Liverpool’s James Maxwell on Friday. East Liverpool won 77-62. (Jimmy Jo Savage)

EAST LIVERPOOL – While they would much rather be playing for an Ohio Valley Athletic Conference championship, the East Liverpool boys basketball team eagerly welcomed a chance to avenge their December loss to Oak Glen in Friday’s OVAC 4A consolation game at Potter Fieldhouse

After a slow start, the Potters took command in the second quarter and raced by the Golden Bears 77-62 in a game that was not as close as the final score indicated.

“We definitely wanted another shot at them,” East Liverpool point guard Tresean Jackson said. “We came in here with the right mindset and took care of business.”

It was a stark contrast to the last time the two teams met, which resulted in a 57-55 Oak Glen victory. The Potters (16-5) feel they are a different team now.

“It’s fun playing a team early in the season and then playing them again late in the season to see where you are at. I think we’re playing some great basketball right now. The ball is moving, we’re playing better on defense and we’re hitting shot. It’s a good time to be doing that. For three-and-a half quarter tonight, we played one of our sharpest games of the year.”

East Liverpool’s combination of quickness and crisp ball movement sliced up the Golden Bears (15-5) defense for most of the night. The Potters shot 53 percent and got a balanced scoring output.

The dangerous backcourt duo of Jackson and Gabe Roach controlled th action, with Roach totaling 20 points, six rebounds and four assists and Jackson finishing with 19 points and six assists. They were hardly alone, as James Maxwell supplied 17 points and five rebounds. while Timmy Neal had nine points and eight rebounds.

“Moving the ball is one of the main things we work on in practice,” Jackson said. “It was great to be able to get a lot of guys open looks tonight.”

Oak Glen was led by Sean Smith with 22 points. Zach Taylor added 16 points. As the Golden Bears wind down the regular season, coach Jerry Everly hopes Friday’s game serves as a wake-up call.

“We have to hit the reset button and start over,” Everly said. “We haven’t gotten beat like this all year. I take full responsibility for that. We weren’t ready to play and that falls on me.”

The Potters took command with a 24-point second quarter, that gave them a 37-23 halftime lead. After a minor Oak Glen surge cut the lead to eight midway through the third, East Liverpool answered back with an 11-3 run. When Jackson dialed up a three with 1:33 left, the Potters led 54-38 and never looked back.

The fourth quarter was never close and the benches started to clear with about two-and-a-half minutes left.

Oak Glen closes the regular season at home against John Marshall Thursday. The Potters open Div. II sectional tournament play at home against Indian Creek Tuesday. February 26.

East Liverpool won the jv game 49-45. Levi George had 16 points for the Potters. Jacob Clark had 11 points for the Golden Bears.

OAK GLEN: 11-12-22-17-62

E. LIVERPOOL: 13-24-24-16-77

OAK GLEN SCORING: Ethan Travis 1-0-2, Wyatt Wiley 1-0-3, Sean Smith 9-3-22, Jarret Gittings 2-1-7, Zach Taylor 4-4-16, Blake Perez 1-3-5, Gage Patterson 3-0-6, Alex Staub 0-0-0, Jacob Clark 1-0-2, Jay Aloria 0-1-1. TEAM TOTALS: 22, 12-16: 62.

EAST LIVERPOOL SCORING: Gabe Roach 7-5-20, Tresean Jackson 6-3-19, Brennan O’Hara 2-1-5, Timmy Neal 4-1-9, Tyler Roe 2-1-5, James Maxwell 7-3-17, Nick Woodyard 1-0-2, Peyton Reed 0-0-0, Sobaan Razi 0-0-0, Izaiha Browning 0-0-0, Levi George 0-0-0, Cameron Beverly 0-0-0. TEAM TOTALS: 29, 14-23: 77.

Three-point goals: Oak Glen 5 (Gittings 2, Wiley, Smith, Taylor), East Liverpool 5 (Jackson 4, Roach)