'What a beautiful night': Wadsworth's Maxx Bosley gets record, Jackson basketball gets win

JACKSON TWP. — With hard-charging Maxx Bosley flying around the court Tuesday night, it was going to be almost impossible to keep the Wadsworth senior out of the school's record book.

The Jackson High School boys basketball team made sure he didn't get in the win column, too.

The Polar Bears rallied from a cold-shooting first half to beat upset-minded Wadsworth 71-63 on a night Bosley set the Grizzlies' career scoring record and Jackson honored the 30-year anniversary of its first state final four team — which just so happened to be led by Bosley's father, Jami.

Maxx Bosley needed 23 points entering Tuesday to surpass the Wadsworth mark of 1,460 set just last year by Solomon Callaghan. Bosley finished with 27 points, breaking the record with a floating bank shot down the right side of the lane with 6:26 left in the fourth quarter.

Setting a career scoring record is a remarkable accomplishment.

Setting it on the same court where your legendary father set Jackson and Stark County scoring records? That feels almost divine.

"That God planned for this to happen, I'm so incredibly thankful," Maxx Bosley said. "Who would've ever thought I would break the Wadsworth scoring record in the gym my dad played at and where he holds the scoring record. It's the coolest blessing."

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Jami Bosley, who scored 2,077 career points in high school before playing in college at Ohio State and Akron, was in attendance Tuesday along with most of the players, coaches and staff from that 1993-94 Jackson team. The team was honored before the game, with each member walking onto the court after getting his name called.

Bosley later walked back on the court to share a long embrace with Maxx after play was stopped for the record-breaking shot.

"Incredible," Maxx Bosley said of the moment. "I'm so freaking blessed. I love him dearly."

Jackson head coach Tim Debevec presented the game ball to Bosley at center court.

"What a beautiful night, man," Debevec said. "Just everything fell into place. We honor the team 30 years ago that kind of started this Jackson tradition of winning. ... Jami's kid comes full circle."

And, of course, Jackson got the win to improve to 15-4.

It looked dicey for a while against the Grizzlies, now 5-15. Jackson missed its first nine 3-point attempts and shot just 2-for-14 from deep in the first half. The Polar Bears trailed 33-22 at the break, at which point Maxx Bosley had almost outscored them himself with 19 points.

"I told them, the first four minutes (of the third quarter), we'll be tied," Debevec said. "Just make some shots and play some defense."

Debevec was wrong. It only took three minutes.

A quick 11-0 run out of the locker room had Jackson back in it, and it was game on from there.

The Polar Bears actually didn't take their first lead until the opening possession of the fourth quarter on a Kyle Monterrubio bucket. After Bosley answered with his first points since 1:55 was left in the second quarter, Cameron Weekley drained a 3-pointer and Jackson never trailed again.

Weekley scored 10 of his team-high 22 points in the fourth quarter for Jackson. Weekley and Cole Baker finished with four assists apiece.

Mitch Finefrock scored nine of his 16 points in the final period. Monterrubio scored seven of his 18 points in the fourth to go with six rebounds. The Polar Bears scored 29 points in the final eight minutes.

Anthony Fuline, Jackson's lone senior, added nine points and five rebounds on the night.

After Bosley hit three first-half 3-pointers and displayed the powerful driving ability reminiscent of his dad, Jackson started running double teams at him in the second half to get the ball out of his hands.

The young Grizzlies hung around down the stretch and trailed just 62-59 with 1:34 left after Finn Schmitt's put-back bucket. But Weekley answered with back-to-back scores to put the game away for Jackson.

Schmitt, a senior and the only other Wadsworth player along with Bosley who had varsity experience coming into the season, was a force inside for the Grizzlies. He finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

"Obviously, Maxx and Finn are really good," first-year Wadsworth head coach D.J. Schrock said. "Our youth shows in tight games. We've seen growth. It's just that part where sometimes we're finishing in those tight games, and sometimes we're not. What a great tournament-like experience for us. I think it's going to help."

In addition to the school record, Bosley is climbing the Medina County all-time scoring list. He now is fourth, passing Callaghan and 2021 Brunswick graduate Tre Massey (1,441) on Tuesday. Highland's Brogan Scott, a 2015 grad, is third with 1,478, followed by another Highland product, 1998 graduate Brad Reusch, in second with 1,525. Rob Wininger, a 1993 Highland graduate, is first with 1,842.

Jackson now turns its attention to Friday night. It hosts Canton McKinley in a Federal League finale that could determine a piece of the league title if GlenOak knocks off Green that same night. Green, at 9-2 in league play, has clinched at least a share of the title. Jackson and McKinley are both 8-3.

"Our goals are still intact if we can get some luck and get some help from GlenOak," Debevec said. "But we have to control what we can control first. We have to win."

Reach Josh at josh.weir@cantonrep.com 

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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio high school boys basketball: Wadsworth and Maxx Bosley vs Jackson