Jake Elmore poured in a game-high 18 points and eight other players cracked the scoring column as the Olentangy boys basketball team used a balanced attack to outlast host Olentangy Orange 54-51 in OCC action Friday night in Lewis Center.
The Braves started fast, racing out to a 30-22 halftime lead. Luke Elmore hit a pair of triples in the first quarter and Jake Elmore had three three-pointers in the second.
The Pioneers clamped down on defense in the second half, allowing just one three compared to the six they gave up in the first half, but couldn’t complete the comeback. They won the third 16-10 to climb back into things and got within a point, 52-51, when Ryan Cutler calmly sank a pair of free throws with five seconds left.
Olentangy’s Zack Wieging answered with two clutch free throws of his own on the other end, though, and Orange missed a potential game-tying three at the buzzer to cement the final margin.
Wieging, Tavian James and Luke Elmore all had six points in the win.
Cutler led the Pioneers with 16 points while Jason Foster added 12 and Darius Butler chipped in nine.
Olentangy Liberty 53, Westerville Central 49
The Patriots didn’t get off to the best start, but more than made up for it in the middle two quarters en route to a key league win over the host Warhawks Friday in Westerville.
Down 13-5 after a quarter, Liberty, which maintained its spot atop the OCC-Buckeye Division standings with the win, used a 17-9 second and 14-9 third to take control.
Andrew Wade had 18 points in the win while Henry Hinkle added 15.
Tasos Cook led Central with a game-high 19 points.
Delaware Christian 60, Granville Christian 54
DCS used an 18-10 first quarter to set the tone on the way to a league win over host Granville Christian Friday night.
Nathan Stewart led the Eagles with 18 points. Pryce Johnson was also solid, finishing with 14 points, while James Vasek and Dayne Johnson added 13 and 11, respectively.
Worthington Kilbourne 55, Olentangy Berlin 41
The Bears hung around early, down by just three at the break, but the visiting Wolves used a 10-5 third to get some separation and a 20-14 fourth to seal an OCC win Friday night in Delaware.
Austin Corley led Berlin with 11 points while Grant Schrieber added nine in the setback.
Mitchell Tomasek had a game-high 16 points for Kilbourne.
Dublin Jerome 56, Delaware Hayes 53
Paul Burris scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half and Nate Griggs added 18 overall, but it wasn’t enough as the host Celtics held on for a league win Friday night in Dublin.
Dan Lee had a game-high 26 points for Jerome.
Also: Big Walnut 63, Franklin Heights 29
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Alexis Amabile erupted for a game-high 30 points, 13 as part of a 23-6 fourth quarter, as Delaware Hayes rallied for a 60-51 OCC-Cardinal Division win over visiting Dublin Jerome Friday night.
The Pacers started slow in both halves. They trailed 21-12 after the first quarter and found themselves down 45-37 at the start of the fourth.
They made up for it from behind the arc and at the free-throw line, though. Amabile had six three-pointers and went 10-for-14 from the charity stripe. Hayes sank 23 free throws as a team.
Chloe Jeffers backed Amabile with 14 points while Alyssa Griner added nine in the win.
Jamie Cline had 20 points to lead the Celtics.
Big Walnut 45, Franklin Heights 23
The Golden Eagles outscored the host Falcons 18-0 in the first quarter on the way to a lopsided OCC-Capital Division win Friday night in Columbus.
Abby Brown hit two three-pointers and had 10 of her game-high 15 points in the first quarter alone. Andie Stewart was also steady for the Golden Eagles, finishing with nine points in the win.
Olentangy Liberty 63, Westerville Central 17
The Patriots were dominant in their regular-season finale, parlaying a 38-10 halftime lead into a lopsided league win over the visiting Warhawks Friday in Powell.
Kelly Levering hit six three-pointers on the way to a game-high 18 points while Caitlin Splain and Taylor Redman had six points apiece.
Mabinty Kebe led Central with seven points in the setback.
Also: Olentangy 44, Olentangy Orange 23
