Late push lifts Pioneers

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The Olentangy Orange boys basketball team saved its best for last, outscoring host Olentangy 11-2 over the course of the final two minutes to escape with a 61-59 OCC win Friday night in Lewis Center.

The Braves, who outscored the Pioneers 18-10 in the second quarter and 16-10 in the third, led by seven, 57-50, when Jake Elmore calmly cashed in on a pair of free throws with about two minutes to play.

Olentangy looked to be in good shape, but that’s when the Pioneers went to work … particularly Jason Foster and Andre Irvin. Foster split a pair from the free throw line, Irvin hit two of his own and Foster scored back-to-back buckets to even things at 57 with less than a minute to play. The free throws and Foster’s first hoop were all part of a sequence set up by a technical foul.

Irvin broke the 57-all tie with a hoop with 30 seconds left and Ryan Cutler added what proved to be the game-deciding bucket on the ensuing possession.

Irvin finished with a game-high 23 points with Foster adding 15 and Cutler chipping in 12.

Elmore led the Braves with 17 points while Josiah Seymour and Ethan Smith finished with 14 and 12, respectively.

Buckeye Valley 79, Kenton 48

Dylan Herbert became just the fourth BV player to score 1,000 points in his career and Max Stokey led a balanced attack with 16 points and eight rebounds as the Barons rolled to a non-league win Friday night in Delaware.

Herbert needed eight points entering the game, and finished with eight, joining Mike Adams, Kyle Comstock and Scott Thomas as the only Barons to reach the milestone.

BV led 37-28 at the break before pulling away in the second half. The Barons won the third quarter 22-12 and the fourth 20-8 to seal the deal.

Dylan Thompson backed Stokey with 15 points while Owen Osborne and Jack Rotondo had 12 and 10, respectively.

Hilliard Bradley 57, Delaware Hayes 47

The Pacers held a five-point lead through three, but the visiting Jaguars won the fourth 17-12 to force overtime and outscored Hayes 10-0 in the extra session on the way to an OCC win Friday night in Delaware.

Matt Allocco had a game-high 20 for Bradley, with 12 of those coming in the fourth quarter alone.

Paul Burris led Hayes with 15 points while Ryan Smudz and Nate Griggs added 10 and nine, respectively.

Delaware Christian 59, Tree of Life 49

The Eagles outscored the visiting Trojans 35-21 in the middle two quarters on the way to a MOCAL win Friday night in Delaware.

Five players scored for DCS, and four of them finished in double figures. Nathan Stewart had a team-best 17, James Vasek was right behind him with 16 and Pryce and Dayne Johnson had 12 points apiece.

Ian Leach led Tree of Life with 21 points in the setback.

Thomas Worthington 67, Olentangy Berlin 29

The host Cardinals outscored the Bears 35-16 in the first half and only added to the edge in the second to post a lopsided OCC win Friday night.

Austin Corley led Berlin with 10 points while Tyrese Hughey had a game-best 12 for Thomas.

Also: Westerville Central 54, Olentangy Liberty 52

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Delaware Christian’s Lyssi Snouffer needed just two points to get to 1,500 for her career, and she got them within the first 15 seconds of Friday’s game against host Northridge.

Snouffer finished with a double-double — 21 points and 11 rebounds — but the Eagles fell 52-45.

Katie Neuhart also had a double-double for DCS, collecting 10 points to go with 16 rebounds.

Hilliard Bradley 43, Delaware Hayes 33

The Pacers hung around all game long, getting as close as 32-28 heading into the fourth quarter, but the host Jaguars pulled away from the free throw line on the way to a league win Friday night in Hilliard.

Bradley made all six of its free throws in the fourth, outscoring Hayes 11-5 in the final frame to account for the final margin.

Jordan Lantz led the Pacers with nine points while Alexis Amabile had six on the strength of a couple threes.

Also: Olentangy 53, Olentangy Orange 38; Big Walnut 47, Franklin Heights 6; Olentangy Berlin 46, Thomas Worthington 37; Olentangy Liberty 51, Westerville Central 22.

Olentangy Orange’s Jason Foster (2) kicks it out to Josi Addo (12) during the first half of Friday’s OCC showdown against host Olentangy.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/01/web1_foster-2.jpegOlentangy Orange’s Jason Foster (2) kicks it out to Josi Addo (12) during the first half of Friday’s OCC showdown against host Olentangy. Ben Stroup | Gazette
Orange ends game on 11-2 run to rally past Olentangy

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