The Olentangy Liberty boys basketball team more than doubled up Olentangy from the free throw line and beyond the arc en route to a 57-43 non-league win Saturday night in Powell.
The Patriots (12-3) hit six three-pointers in the win, compared to just two for the Braves. Cooper Davis made four of them, including three in the first half to lift Liberty to a 28-18 halftime lead.
The Patriots looked poised to run away with things early in the third, ballooning their cushion to 17, 37-20, when Andrew Wade scored in the paint.
Olentangy (10-7) put together a nice run to end the quarter, getting buckets from Matt Kennedy, Tavian James, Reed Apke and Jack Hennegan as part of a 9-0 run, but the Patriots’ Trey Majidzadeh scored in the final seconds to keep the lead at 10 heading into the fourth — a quarter Liberty won 16-12 to smooth out the scoring summary.
Davis and the Patriots sealed the deal from the free throw line. Davis, who finished with a game-high 19 points, went 7-for-8 from the stripe in the fourth quarter while Liberty made 15 of its 22 for the game.
Wade backed Davis with 16 points while Cam Barcus finished with 10.
James led the Braves with 10 points while Zack Wieging and Apke closed with seven apiece.
Buckeye Valley 54, Independence 35
The Barons limited the visiting 76ers to a combined 17 points through three quarters on the way to a lopsided non-league win Saturday night in Delaware.
BV outscored Independence 14-7 in the first quarter and 9-3 in the second to build a 23-10 lead by the break — a lead it only added to as the game wore on.
Dylan Thompson led the Barons with 14 points while Troy Scowden added 12 and Jake Radcliffe chipped in 10.
Orlando Jones led the 76ers with 10 points in the setback.
Olentangy Orange 61, Delaware Hayes 46
Andre Irvin hit a game-high five three-pointers, all in the second half, to help the Pioneers pull away from the host Pacers and notch a non-league win Saturday night in Delaware.
Four of the triples came in the third as Orange outscored Hayes 22-16 to take a 44-31 lead into the final eight minutes of action.
Jason Foster backed Irvin with 14 points while Aidan King had 13.
Ryan Smudz hit a couple threes on the way to a team-best 12 points for the Pacers while Jesse Burris added 11 in the setback.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Hilliard Davidson’s Gwen Jenkins converted a three-point play to give her team a one-point lead with 27 seconds left, but Olentangy Orange’s Kayla Delmore answered with a hoop at the buzzer to lift her team to a thrilling 50-49 OCC-Central Division win Monday night in Hilliard.
The Wildcats led by 14 at the half, but the Pioneers were poised down the stretch. Reese Miller hit a three-pointer to cap an 8-0 start to the third quarter, pulling her team within six, 28-22, less than three minutes in.
It was a 37-30 game heading to the fourth before Emma Delmore, who finished with 15 points, connected on a three to give Orange a 44-42 lead with 4:03 left.
Davidson regained the lead on Jenkins’ hoop and ensuing free throw in the final minute, but Kayla Delmore made sure it didn’t last long.
Big Walnut 48, Canal Winchester 31
The Golden Eagles outscored the host Indians 13-2 in the second quarter to take control and cruise to a 48-31 win Saturday afternoon.
Abby Brown hit three three-pointers on the way to a game-high 21 points to lead Big Walnut. Annie Thomas and Avery Maxeiner were also solid, finishing with 11 and nine points, respectively.
