Three sophomores — Nate Griggs, Paul Burris and Addison Harvey — combined for 30 points as the Delaware Hayes boys basketball team used a balanced attack to pick up a 45-37 non-league win over visiting Hilliard Davidson Tuesday in Delaware.
The Pacers (2-3) found themselves locked in a 4-4 tie after the first quarter, but outscored the Wildcats (1-3) 17-13 in the second and 16-9 in the third to create some separation.
“We had 10 guys play hard for 32 minutes,” Hayes coach Jordan Blackburn said. “We knew they were going to be bigger and stronger than us, and we had to match the physicality and stick together. They made a run and we responded by making eight straight free throws.
“I was most pleased with our guys not caring who gets the credit, just trying to do it right.”
Griggs led the way with 12 points to go with six assists while Burris and Harvey finished with nine apiece. Dominic Byers was also solid, pouring in eight points off the bench.
Big Walnut 55, Hamilton Township 51
Jordan Koebel scored eight of his team-best 12 points in the third quarter as the Golden Eagles knocked off the visiting Raiders in non-league action Tuesday night in Sunbury.
The win was the third of the season for Big Walnut (3-1), which won just four games all of last season.
The Eagles were down early, but used a big second quarter to take control. BW outscored Hamilton Township (2-2) 18-9 in the period thanks in part to Jackson Podraza’s eight-point burst. He finished with 10 for the game.
Big Walnut added to its two-point halftime edge with a 14-11 third before holding off the visitors in the fourth.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Olentangy ended both halves well en route to a 39-27 non-league win over host Hilliard Bradley Tuesday night.
The Braves (4-3) led by just one after the first quarter, but ballooned the lead to eight by the end of the half thanks to a 15-8 second. The Jaguars (0-5), meanwhile, cut into their deficit by a point in the third, but Olentangy won the fourth 9-4 to smooth out the scoring summary.
Lauren Biehl led the Braves with 10 points.
Buckeye Valley 60, Marion Harding 51
The Barons had four players score in double figures on the way to a solid MOAC win over the visiting Presidents Tuesday in Delaware.
Dani Grether finished with a team-best 14 points while Morgan Scowden added 11 and Alaina Radcliffe and Lisa Leienberger added 10 apiece for Buckeye Valley (4-2, 2-1), which used a 20-12 second-quarter surge to build a lead it never relinquished.
Also: Hilliard Darby 42, Olentangy Orange 40.
