PIQUA — The Newton boys basketball team matched Russia in a back-and-forth first half Thursday night at Garbry Gymnasium.

But, the Raiders dominance on the boards swung the momentum in the second half as Russia won 72-55.

Newton closed the season with a 13-11 record.

Russia will play Botkins in the district semifinal at 7 p.m. Saturday night.

The game was tied at 25 at halftime, but Russia took control of the boards in the second half.

The Raiders opened a 50-36 lead after three quarters and Newton could not recover.

Russia finished with a 30-14 edge in rebounding and scored 25 second-chance points to Newton’s four.

Newton had jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the opening quarter on baskets by Quentin Smith and Chandler Peters.

Russia then answered with nine straight points on three 3-pointers by Xavier Phlipot.

After another Peters basket, Hayden Quinter hit a 3-pointer for Russia.

Hudson Montgomery hit a shot for Newton and Harold Oburn added two free throws, before Russia’s Ben Bohman would score inside to make it 14-10 headed to the second quarter.

Montgomery and Peters scored in the second quarter to tie it at 14, before Russia would open it back up to a five-point lead with a Bohman basket and another 3-pointer by Phlipot.

With Newton trailing 21-16, both Peters and Smith scored to make it 21-20.

Braylon Cordonnier scored for Russia to make it 23-20, before Newton ran off five straight points.

Montgomery scored for the Indians and Peters followed with a three-point play to make it 25-23 Newton with 1:04 remaining in the half.

But, the Raiders Ross Fiessinger scored just before the buzzer to tie the game 25-25 and Russia took over in the second half.

Peters led Newton with 24 points and Montgomery scored 15 points.

Smith added six points.

Phlipot led Russia with six 3-pointers and 20 points.

Quinter added 15 points, Bohman scored nine and Brayden Monnin scored eight points.