Delaware Hayes’ Jeremiah Russell soars toward the hoop during a game against visiting Westerville South earlier this month in Delaware. The Pacers won their first league title since 2014 Friday night in Canal Winchester, rolling past the Indians 63-23.
Ben Stroup | The Gazette
The Delaware Hayes boys basketball team didn’t enter Friday night’s OCC-Capital Division showdown against host Canal Winchester with 17 wins by accident.
Leaving with the 18th was no accident, either, as the Pacers did what they’ve done all season, coupling solid lock-down defense with a balanced effort on the offensive end to notch a dominant 63-23 win.
The Pacers (18-1, 12-1) have played as a team all season and, thanks to Friday’s emphatic win, secured at least a share of their first league championships since 2014 … as a team.
Hayes set the tone early … on both ends of the floor. The Pacers raced out to an 18-2 lead by the end of the first as Landon Vanderwarker hit a couple three-pointers as part of an eight-point quarter, Jesse Burris scored a pair of hoops and Drew Banaszak hit a three of his own.
Hayes won the second 22-5 to take a 40-7 halftime lead before cruising through the second half to seal the deal.
Vanderwarker finished with a game-high 14 points while Burris and Jeremiah Russell finished with 13 points apiece. Other standouts included Banaszak and Will Sims, who had 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Cam Sterling had seven points to lead Canal (3-17, 1-12).
Buckeye Valley 40, Columbus Academy 39
The Barons used a solid third quarter to get some breathing room before winning at the buzzer to beat the host Vikings in CBL action Friday night.
Buckeye Valley, already up by a hoop at halftime, outscored Academy 14-9 in the third to take a 31-24 edge into the final eight minutes of action — a lead it would need every point of.
Zane Melvin and Cam Richardson led the Barons with 11 points apiece.
Also: Olentangy Berlin 64, Marysville 59; Olentangy 66, Dublin Jerome 48; Olentangy Orange 51, Hilliard Bradley 47; Big Walnut 60, Dublin Scioto 51.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Hayes scored 21 points in the third quarter and 15 in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to make up for a nine point first half as visiting Canal Winchester used a 27-point night from London Johnson to notch a 60-45 OCC-Capital Division win Friday night in Delaware.
Adrionna Brown led the Pacers (6-16, 4-10) with 15 points while Hannah West added 12.
Also: Marysville 52, Olentangy Berlin 14; Big Walnut 77, Dublin Scioto 17; Olentangy Liberty 51, Hilliard Davidson 15; Olentangy 62, Dublin Jerome 47.
