The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Sophomore center comes up big as Beavercreek drops Marshall

Beavercreek forward/center Tyler Reasoner prevents Thurgood Marshall guard Rayshaun Martin from scoring in the first half at Beavercreek High School Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012.

Contributed photo E.L. Hubbard photography Beavercreek forward/center Tyler Reasoner prevents Thurgood Marshall guard Rayshaun Martin from scoring in the first half at Beavercreek High School Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Photos: Beavercreek vs. Marshall

High school sports results for May 26
5/26/12
Wayne boys win team track title
5/25/12
Bellbrook tennis duo advances to semifinals
5/25/12
Jefferson grad takes lessons from Miami Heat cousin
5/25/12
T-Bolts excited for state debut
5/25/12
> More high school headlines

By Marc F. Pendleton, Staff Writer Updated 7:56 AM Wednesday, February 1, 2012

BEAVERCREEK — At 6 feet 4, center Tyler Reasoner is always out-sized and he’s not a high flier.

But an uncanny knack for positioning around the basket and a motor that doesn’t quit are the Beavercreek High School sophomore’s equalizers.

“Being undersized, I just try and do the best that I can,” said Reasoner after the Beavers passed yet another milestone in Tuesday’s 57-51 defeat of visiting Thurgood Marshall.

“I’ve just got to be as physical as I can. I get in the best position that I can no matter what it is.”

It was the unlikely Reasoner who came to Creek’s rescue this time. He maneuvered for a team-high 13 points and added eight rebounds. Kyle Rader and Jalen Camper each added 11 points.

The rare defeat of a City League team — “It’s been a number of years,” said coach John Ahrns — pushed the area’s No. 1 Division I team to 13-2 and its win streak to eight.

Marshall (6-8) was led by Joe Thomasson’s 18 points. But no one else cracked double digits. It also didn’t help that Mark Alstork and his 14-point average sat out the game. He received the mandatory two-game suspension after drawing two technical fouls in last week’s win at Cincinnati Withrow.

It didn’t begin well for Beavercreek. The Beavers trailed 9-0 and hardly resembled the smooth-running machine that had performed so well this season.

Ahrns hinted the death of sophomore Alexis Smith last week in a car crash weighed on the squad. Seven Beavercreek varsity players are sophomores.

“I said to one of my assistant coaches, ‘We’re going to get shut out,’ ” Ahrns said. “It’s been a rough week. We just didn’t have it in practice.”

Anchored by Reasoner, Beavercreek’s zone defense turned Marshall into jump shooters, and the Cougars weren’t hitting. A game-ending 10-4 run clinched the win.

“This is a tough place to play,” Thomasson said.

“That’s a good team right there. They played better than us and they deserved to win.”

Marshall must regroup for a City League game with Dunbar Friday at Wright State University.

And Creek? “This means everything,” Reasoner said. “We know that we’ve faced good teams and we’ve beat good teams. We feel like we can compete with everyone and pull out the win no matter what.”

Share this article