The Seymour Owls basketball team felt its best chance to defeat Charlestown Friday night was to slow the ball down, work for high percentage shots and hit free throws.

The Owls used that formula to take the lead for good on a layup by Charlie Longmeier with 2:36 left in the first period and go on to a 45-36 win in Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium.

“Charlestown has a way of speeding you up a little, and our game plan all week was focusing on how we could take advantage of them speeding us up, taking layups, and taking advantage of opportunities when they give us those opportunities,” SHS assistant varsity coach Steve Bush said.

“But, slowing down the pace, and being comfortable with our tempo, and getting into our rhythm where we moved the basketball, and where we get good shots and at the end of the game get to the free-throw line and take care of the ball was very key aspect to getting it done tonight,” Bush said.

The Owls held a 35-30 lead entering the fourth period. The Pirates’ Austin Pickerell and Seymour’s Landon Frisch traded pairs of free throws for a 37-32 score with 4:29 remaining.

Neither team attempted a field goal in the fourth period until Seymour’s Jaylan Johnson shot from under the basket with 3:15 remaining, was fouled, and made one free throw.

Seymour made 8-of-14 free throws in the fourth period and hit 10-for-17 for the game. Charlestown was 3-for-5 in free throws.

Fritsch missed his first free throw of the fourth period, before making his last four attempts and topped all players in scoring with 15 points.

Bret Perry hit a 3-pointer with 1:52 left in the first period to help the Owls to a 10-5 lead going into the second quarter.

Perry hit a jumper in the lane at the 4:30-mark to double the Owls’ lead at 18-9, and Eli Meyer hit two baskets in the period for a 22-14 lead at the half.

The Pirates went on an 8-4 run over the first three minutes of the third quarter before Josh Rennekamp dropped in a layup and Meyer followed with a 3-point play for a 31-22 lead.

“Offensively, late we did what we wanted to do,” Bush said. “We got sped up in the middle of the game and we had some seniors that kind of slowed us down and got us into the tempo and kept us at the pace that we need to be successful.”

The Owls (3-7) shot 16-for-35 from the floor, and the Pirates (5-6) were 14-for-36.

Bush said, “Defensively, the kids are locking in what we’re asking them to do. They work hard at it every day. We’re taking care of some of the mental errors that have cost us in a few of the closer games throughout December.

“As we eliminate more and more of those mental errors we’ll continue to hold teams to lower numbers. The sky is the limit when we’re guarding. When we guard we’re pretty darn good.”

The Owls will travel to Bloomington North tonight.

Box score

Charlestown;5;9;16;6;—;36

Seymour;10;12;13;10;—;45

Seymour (3-7): Landon Fritsch 5 5-7 15, Bret Perry 2 1-2 6, Charlie Longmeier 2 0-2 4, Jaylan Johnson 2 1-2 5, Eli Meyer 3 3-4 9, Ethan Silcox 1 0-0 2, Josh Rennekamp 1 0-0 2, Michael Brooks 1 0-0 2, Cory Robinson 0 0-00 0, Evan Smith 0 0-0 0, totals 17 10-47 45.

Charlestown (5-6): AJ Todd 4 0-0 10, Jake Ottersbach 2 0-0 4, Ethan French 4 1-2 9, Demetrius Phelps 2 0-1 4, Grason Connell 2 0-0 5, Austin pickerel 1 2-2 4, totals 14 3-5 36.

3-point goals: S 1 (Perry), C 3 (French, Todd 2).

Rebounds: S 20 (Fritsch 5, Meyer 5), C 18.

Junior varsity

Seymour 51, Charlestown 46

Seymour: Brady Harpe 15, Parker Thompson 10, Seth Montgomery 8, Brooks 9, Ty Tormoehlen 5, AJ Harrell 2, Aden Kruse 2.