Dylan Joy poured in a game-best 23 points, most coming in the second half as host Olentangy Orange used a dominant final two quarters to pull away from Dublin Jerome for a 51-27 non-league win Friday night in Lewis Center.

The Pioneers (4-0), who still haven’t played in a close game, looked like they’d be locked up in a tight one early on as neither squad started particularly fast. Orange led 5-4 after the first quarter and 14-9 at halftime.

That all changed in the second half, though, as Joy and company outscored Jerome (3-1) 23-11 in the third to take control.

After Jerome’s Cooper Craig snapped a 6-0 Orange run with a runner from in close, Joy hit a corner three to balloon the lead to 24-13 with 4:33 left in the third. He hit a three from the other corner on the next trip down the floor and his third three of the quarter made it a 30-17 game with 2:06 left.

A block by Keegan Knupp set up Joy for a transition hoop he turned into a three-point play the hard way and, after the Celtics’ Carson Bleeks answered with a three at the other end, Orange’s Treyton Schroeder was fouled shooting a three with 2.3 seconds left in the quarter. He made all three of the ensuing free throws to push the lead to 37-20 heading into the final eight minutes of action.

The win was the Pioneers’ fourth straight … and all four have been by at least 22 points. They return to action today against host Columbus Whetstone. Tip is set for 2:30 p.m.

Delaware Hayes 59, Westerville North 58

Of his team-leading 19 points, none were bigger than the last two as Jesse Burris connected on a pair of free throws with 1.1 seconds left to give the visiting Pacers a key OCC-Capital Division win over the Warriors Friday night in Westerville.

North, thanks in part to nine fourth-quarter points from Ty Perkins, rallied to erase a 15-point second half deficit, taking a lead in the final minute before Burris’ heroics sealed the deal.

Burris only got to the free throw line four times, all in the fourth quarter, but made all four. Other Hayes (5-0, 2-0) standouts included Jeremiah Russell and Carter Piatt-Brown, who finished with 14 points apiece.

Micah Young, meanwhile, had a game-best 21 points for North (4-1, 1-1).

Also: Newark 55, Olentangy Berlin 53; Westerville Central 76, Olentangy 72; Big Walnut 40, Westerville South 36.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

After a physical first half between two teams atop the early-season CBL standings, Buckeye Valley used a 25-0 third-quarter run to surge ahead en route to a convincing 55-21 win over host Bishop Ready Friday night.

The Barons (5-0, 4-0), who got a career-high 19 points from Carlie Osborne, outscored the Silver Knights 37-8 in the second half.

Osborne had eight points in the third while Ella Hazelrigg had four second-half threes on the way to a 15-point night.

Emily Huston was also solid in the win, finishing with 11 points.

Westerville North 49, Delaware Hayes 47

Adrionna Brown scored 11 of her game-best 26 points in the fourth quarter, but Delaware Hayes’ comeback bid came up a couple points short as visiting Westerville North held on for an OCC-Capital Division win Friday night in Delaware.

The Pacers, who also got eight points from Morgan Byers, outscored the Warriors 11-7 in the fourth to account for the final margin.

Olentangy Berlin 59, Newark 55

Cami Elliott poured in 24 points and Layla Merriweather added 17 as the Bears picked up their second win in a row Friday night against the visiting Wildcats.

Berlin, which trailed 17-13 after the first quarter, outscored Newark 15-9 in the second and 14-5 in the third to take control.

The Wildcats nearly clawed all the way back with a 24-17 fourth.

Also: Dublin Jerome 31, Olentangy Orange 21; Big Walnut 36, Westerville South 33; Olentangy Liberty 58, Thomas Worthington 35.