Late push lifts Patriots past Pacers

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Henry Hinkle scored 15 of his career-high 31 points in the fourth quarter to help the Olentangy Liberty boys basketball team rally for a 66-58 non-league win over host Delaware Hayes Tuesday night.

The junior guard picked his spots early, letting the game come to him while collected 16 points — three hoops from beyond the arc, three from inside and one from the free-throw line — through the first three quarters.

In the fourth, though, he played a pivotal part in just about every trip down the floor. After Kal Jayaraman hit a three to start the quarter, bringing the Patriots within one, 46-45, Hinkle scored in transition to give his team a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

He added old-fashioned three-point plays on back-to-back possessions a few minutes later, giving Liberty a 55-48 lead with 3:40 to play.

Nate Griggs, who poured in a team-high 28 points for Hayes, hit a three to cut it to four, but Hinkle found Andrew Wade slicing to the hoop for an easy bucket to make it 57-51 with two minutes left.

After that, Liberty sealed it from the free-throw line. Hinkle cashed in on nine of his 10 shots from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter while the Patriots made 11 of 14 as a team in the final frame.

Liberty outscored Hayes 24-12 in the fourth, but the other three quarters were nip and tuck. Griggs scored the first four points of the game before the Patriots answered with a 7-0 run.

Liberty led 29-26 at the half, but Hayes started the third on an 8-0 run en route to the four-point lead after three.

Wade backed Hinkle with 15 points while Jayaraman finished with 14 thanks in part to three three-pointers.

Paul Burris finished with 15 points for the Pacers, who entered the game having won six of their last seven contests.

Buckeye Valley 73, River Valley 66

The host Vikings raced out to a 22-12 lead by the end of the first quarter, but the Barons outscored them 23-10 in the second and 21-16 in the fourth to rally for a non-league win Tuesday night.

Dylan Thompson had a team-best 19 points for BV, which also got double-figure scoring from Max Stokey (14), Owen Osborne (14) and Jevin Beard (11).

Ethan Bell had a game-best 27 points and seven threes for River Valley in the setback.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Lyssi Snouffer finished with a season-best 33 points to go with 16 rebounds to lead Delaware Christian to a 59-35 MOCAL win over visiting Tree of Life Tuesday night in Delaware.

Snouffer was as efficient as she was effective, connecting on 13 of her 19 shots.

Katie Neuhart also had a double-double for the Eagles, collecting 13 points and 12 boards while Abbi Maurer added 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Big Walnut 48, Groveport 20

The Golden Eagles put the finishing touches on a game that was postponed midway through due to a power outage earlier this season, outscoring the visiting Cruisers 25-7 in the second half to sail to a league win Tuesday night in Sunbury.

Avery Schone led BW with 11 points while Payton Carter added nine and Avery Maxeiner chipped in eight.

Also: CSG 32, Buckeye Valley 28; Olentangy Orange 37, Grove City 32

Liberty’s Henry Hinkle hangs in the air before connecting on an inside hoop during the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s non-league showdown against host Delaware Hayes.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/01/web1_hinkle-3.jpegLiberty’s Henry Hinkle hangs in the air before connecting on an inside hoop during the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s non-league showdown against host Delaware Hayes. Ben Stroup | Gazette
Hinkle scores 15 of game-high 31 in fourth quarter

By Ben Stroup

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