The Olentangy Orange boys basketball team used a quick second-quarter surge to get back into things after a shaky first, but Cade Norris and visiting Hilliard Bradley proved to be too much down the stretch as the Jaguars pulled away for a 62-51 OCC-Central Division win Friday night in Lewis Center.

The Pioneers, looking to avenge an early-season loss to Bradley, found themselves in an 18-9 hole by the end of the first quarter. Orange’s bench bunch changed that in a hurry, though, as Drew Ballinger and Dylan Joy hit back-to-back triples to start the second.

Joy then followed a Bradley hoop with a three-point play the old-fashioned way, cutting his team’s deficit to just three, 21-18, with 5:06 left in the first half. Elias Lewis took over after that, hitting back-to-back threes to put Orange on top, 24-21, with 3:50 left in the half.

Joy answered a Bradley three with another from downtown before the Jags closed the half on a 6-0 run to take a 31-29 lead into halftime.

Ballinger started the third the same way he started the second — with a deep triple — but good looks were hard to come by after that. Norris, who finished with a game-best 30 points, broke a 37-all tie with a three before Garrett Sever hit one of his own to balloon the lead to 43-37 midway through the third.

Jordan Edwards turned a steal into an easy hoop for Devin Brown late in the fourth, helping the Pioneers get within five, 53-48, with 2:38 left, but that’s as close as things would get.

Norris went 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the final minute and change to seal the deal.

Delaware Hayes 59, Canal Winchester 42

The Pacers sent their seniors out in style, scoring 25 third-quarter points to break things open on the way to a league win over the visiting Indians on Senior Night.

Jesse Burris led the charge with 19 points while Jake Lowman finished with 14 in the win. Jeremiah Russell was also solid, hitting a couple threes on the way to a 10-point night.

Grandview Heights 51, Buckeye Valley 49

The Barons outscored the visiting Bobcats in the fourth, but their comeback fell just short Friday night in Delaware.

Zane Melvin led BV with 16 points to go with four rebounds and four steals. Brendan Stalf was also solid, finishing with 13 points, while Markus Frijas had a couple three-pointers on the way to a 10-point night.

Dublin Jerome 44, Olentangy 39

The Braves built a 31-29 lead by the beginning of the fourth quarter, but the host Celtics closed with a 15-8 spurt to rally for a league title-clinching win Friday night in Dublin.

Harrison Ronnebaum and Reid Apke led Olentangy with 11 and nine points, respectively, while Sasha Stavroff had a game-best 16 to pace Jerome.

Olentangy Liberty 44, Hilliard Davidson 42

The Patriots outlasted an upset-minded group of Wildcats on the road to claim an outright OCC-Central Division title Friday night in Hilliard.

The win bumped Liberty’s league record to a perfect 9-0 with one game left — a showdown against host Orange Friday night.

Marysville 55, Olentangy Berlin 53

The Bears outscored the host Monarchs 23-10 in the fourth quarter to claw out of a big hole, but fell just short of completing the comeback Friday might in Marysville.

Berlin’s Derek Goodman led all scorers with 18 points while Jason Moore had 17 for the Monarchs.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

The Olentangy Liberty girls basketball team secured a share of the OCC-Central Division title Friday night in Powell, cruising past visiting Hilliard Davidson 55-28.

The Patriots were all business early, jumping out to a 16-2 lead after one. They only added to their edge from there.

Gigi Bower hit six three-pointers on the way to a game-best 20 points while Addison Marston finished with eight.

Dublin Scioto 37, Big Walnut 32

Maddy Stumpf scored 14 points to lead the Golden Eagles, but it wasn’t quite enough as the host Irish held on for a league win Friday night in Dublin.

Big Walnut, which trailed 13-8 heading into the second, got within three by the end of the third, but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Denza Allen backed Stumpf with six points in the setback.

Marysville 61, Olentangy Berlin 33

The Monarchs outscored the host Bears 19-8 in the first quarter and never looked back en route to a league win Friday night in Delaware.

Jocelyn Franz led Berlin with 11 points while Ava Wilkerson finished with a game-best 14 for Marysville.