Olentangy Liberty hit a couple three-pointers in the final minute to keep it tight — within-a-possession tight — but the state-ranked and OCC-Central Division champion Olentangy Orange boys basketball team responded with clutch plays on both ends of the floor to hang on for a 73-70 win Friday night in Lewis Center.

With the Patriots (12-9, 4-6) down six, Christian Moulton drilled a deep three-pointer to make it 68-65 with 54.4 seconds left. Devin Brown calmly connected on a pair of free throws for the Pioneers (20-1, 10-0), ballooning the lead to five, but Tyler Kropp, who poured in a game-high 30 points in the setback, stepped back and drilled a three to make it a 70-68 game with 36.4 seconds left.

Forced to foul, Liberty sent Treyton Schroeder to the line. This time, after splitting a pair a few possessions earlier, the sophomore sank both to make it a 73-70 game with 5.5. seconds left.

The Patriots had enough time to get a look at a potential game-tying hoop, but weren’t able to get one off as Keegan Knupp batted away an in-bound pass from under the hoop to seal the win.

Orange, which got 21 points apiece from Dylan Joy and Knupp, led at the end of the first and second quarters thanks to strong finishes in both.

The Pioneers led 22-18 after the first thanks to an 8-1 quarter-ending run sparked by back-to-back threes from Joy and Levi Davis.

Orange, which had a hard time dealing with Kropp all night long, but specifically in the first half, then closed the second on a 7-1 surge to take a 37-34 lead into halftime.

Kropp and Parker Van Engelenhoven combined to score six straight for the Patriots, who built a 54-51 lead by the end of the third, but the Pioneers won the fourth 22-16 to smooth out the scoring summary.

Delaware Hayes 75, Franklin Heights 21

Jesse Burris scored a game-best 18 points, becoming the all-time leading scorer in Hayes history in the process as the Pacers cruised to a lopsided league win over the Golden Falcons in the final game of the regular season Friday night in Delaware.

Burris, who’s up to 1,528 career points, did all of his scoring in the first half. He had 11 in the second quarter as the Pacers (21-1, 13-1) scored 35 points to take a 53-12 lead into halftime.

Drew Banaszak backed Burris with 14 points while Carter Sims and Carter Piatt-Brown had nine apiece.

Thad Gambrell led Franklin Heights with seven points in the setback.

Olentangy 54, Marysville 44

The Braves used a 15-0 third-quarter run to take control Friday night in Marysville, holding off the host Monarchs from there to secure their first league championship since 1992, when they played in the BAC.

Down 19-17 at the break, Olentangy (12-8, 7-3) used the big third to take a 34-27 lead into the fourth. Ulysses Ponder, who had a team-best 27 points, scored nine in the quarter.

Marysville (12-9, 7-3), with a share of the OCC-Cardinal Division title clinched before the game started, clawed back into things with an 8-0 run in the fourth, but a 6-0 answer for Olentangy gave it all the separation it would need.

Buckeye Valley 61, Grandview Heights 49

Marcus Hemphill had 13 points and six rebounds while Zane Melvin chipped in 12 points and five assists to lead the Barons to a league win over the visiting Bobcats Friday night in Delaware.

Buckeye Valley (12-10, 7-4) got all the separation it would need in the first, outscoring Grandview 16-4.

The teams played even the rest of the way.

Also: Thomas Worthington 66, Olentangy Berlin 55; Big Walnut 66, Canal Winchester 29.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Layla Merriweather had 15 points, Cami Elliott added 13 points and Aubrey Bashore had 12, but it wasn’t enough as host Upper Arlington held on for a 51-40 win on Friday night.

Berlin (14-8) led 24-21 after outscored UA 13-7 in the second quarter, but the hosts won the third 13-4 to regain control.