Westerville South took a lead into the break with a solid stretch to end the first half, but the host Delaware Hayes girls basketball team finished with a flourish to rally for a 67-56 OCC-Capital Division win Tuesday night.
The Wildcats (10-5, 7-3) seemingly couldn’t miss from behind the arc early on. Aja Austin and Madi O’Neil hit back-to-back threes as South built a 17-13 lead by the end of the first quarter and, after drilling another three triples in the second, it led 37-28 at halftime.
The threes kept falling in the second half — South hit another four to finish with 10 for the game — but Hayes (10-6, 6-5) allowed next to nothing else. Aside from the threes, the Pacers limited the ’Cats to just two buckets and three free throws the entire second half.
The offense, which was as balanced as it’s been all season, took care of the rest as Hayes outscored South 19-11 in the third and 20-8 in the fourth to complete the comeback.
Chloe Jeffers led the charge with a team-best 19 points. Sophia Midura and Alexis Amabile were also solid, finishing with 15 points apiece, while Myah Byers chipped in 10 in the win.
Austin and Leila Jones did the bulk of the damage for the Wildcats, finishing with 21 and 19 points, respectively.
Dublin Coffman 53, Olentangy 44
The Shamocks used a 22-point first quarter to set the tone and held off the Braves down the stretch to notch a non-league win Tuesday night in Lewis Center.
Meg Spohn and Reagan Richeson led Olentangy (7-3) with 12 points apiece while Coffman (16-1) got a game-best 16 from Tessa Grady.
Also: Olentangy Liberty 62, Dublin Jerome 56; Worthington Kilbourne 46, Big Walnut 30.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Olentangy Liberty dominated on the defensive end, limiting visiting Dublin Jerome to a combined 20 points over the course of the final three quarters to notch a 42-33 non-league win Tuesday night in Powell.
Tylar Foster scored a game-high 19 points to lead Liberty (13-3). Cooper Davis was also steady, hitting three triples on the way to a nine-point night.
CC Ezirim and Matt Butler had 10 points apiece to pace Jerome (6-10).
Hilliard Darby 64, Olentangy Berlin 41
The Bears, playing in their first game since Jan. 15, got 11 points each from Austin Corley and Aiden Loeffler, but fell to the host Panthers in OCC-Cardinal action Tuesday night in Hilliard.
Derek Goodman backed Corley and Loeffler with seven points for Berlin (7-8, 0-4) while Gio Roberts poured in a game-best 15 points for Darby (4-8, 2-4).
Also: Dublin Coffman 68, Olentangy 57; Thomas Worthington 69, Olentangy Orange 50; Delaware Christian 45, Madison Christian 38; Worthington Kilbourne 68, Big Walnut 35.
