Even Kings Island couldn’t match the roller coaster ride the Tipp boys basketball team was on during the first half of their game last week against Stebbins.

After completely dominating the first quarter that saw Tipp lead 17-4 at the first break, Stebbins then completely controlled the second period of play 14-4. After all of that action, Tipp held a three-point halftime lead.

When the final buzzer sounded, Tipp earned a 49-35 victory to reach 13-2 overall and maintain a three-game lead in the Miami Division of the MVL and the same lead in the conference.

Jackson Smith led Tipp with 22 points, as he was unstoppable in the paint using his height advantage to control the action at the rim. CJ Bailey added 11 points and Maddux Sivon scored 10 for Tipp.

If was a second quarter that Tipp coach Brock Moon would just soon forget.

“We had some breakdowns defensively in the second quarter, but we just missed a lot of bunnies,” Moon said. “We got out in transition and missed a lot of shots, and that is where they got a majority of their points. We let one kid hit a couple of threes and we were sloppy at times. The guys came back and answered in the third and fourth quarter, which I was happy about, but not a second quarter I would love to have.”

After Stebbins scored the opening four points of the game, Tipp reeled off the next 17 of the quarter as they dominated the last six minutes of the period. Smith scored six points in the opening quarter and the Red Devils connected on their only three of the game when Larkin Thomas knocked one down during the run. Despite the prolific long-range shooting, the team only connected on one and held a 17-4 lead.

Then the tables turned in the second. After Smith scored on a layup at the 7:19 mark, the Tipp offense went completely silent until Caden Turner scored in the closing seconds of the half to allow Tipp to maintain a lead at the half.

Tipp then settled down in the third and went back to work, with Smith adding six in the period and Sivon adding four as they built a 33-25 lead heading to the fourth.

The Red Devils didn’t look back in the fourth, building a double-figure lead and finishing the Indians off.

*The Red Devils defeated West Carrollton 60-35 on Friday to inch closer to the MVL title. It was a 25-21 game at the half before Tipp dominated the second half to get the win.

Smith led Tipp with 20 points with Bailey and AJ Jergens each scoring nine.

Also on Saturday, Tipp defeated Bellbrook 60-37 in a game where the Red Devils jumped out fast and never looked back.

Jergens led Tipp with 15 points, Smith added 14, and Bailey scored 13.