First Posted: 2/27/2015
COLUMBUS GROVE — Big players step up in big games.
That’s exactly what happened in Friday’s Northwest Conference boys basketball showdown between Columbus Grove and Crestview.
Crestview’s Connor Lautzenheiser and Columbus Grove’s Jace Darbyshire accounted for 33 and 31 points, respectively.
However, Tanner From stepped up for Columbus Grove and scored 19 points to give his team that little extra push in the second half, as the Bulldogs pulled away for a 65-53 win over Crestview at Columbus Grove.
Both teams came into Friday’s game with two conference losses, and still a chance to grab a share of the NWC crown.
A win by either team, coupled with a Spencerville loss against Lincolnview would mean co-champions in the NWC.
However, Spencerville slipped past the Lancers 52-45 on Friday to notch the NWC title outright. Columbus Grove (15-7, 6-2 NWC) finishes second in the NWC.
Crestview (12-9, 5-3) came into Friday’s tilt with Columbus Grove without the services of two starters, Preston Zaleski and Cody Mefferd. Both Zaleski and Mefferd are out with season-ending injuries.
But, Lautzenheiser kept the Knights close for most of the game. The 6-foot junior scored 12 points in the first half and then poured in 21 more in the second half. On the night, Lautzenheiser made six 3-pointers and was 13-of-17 from the free throw line.
Darbyshire scored both off the dribble and from the outside. From, who scored just two points in the first half, poured in 17 points, including 7-of-8 from the charity stripe to help give his team some separation down the stretch. From also hit two 3-pointers in the second half.
Columbus Grove coach Ryan Stechschulte had nothing but praise for Darbyshire.
“He’s been doing that quite a bit. He deserves all of it. He’s put in more time than any kid I’ve ever coached, and it’s not even close. He’s all self-made,” Stechschulte said.
Columbus Grove led 12-10 at the end of the first quarter, and then led 27-24 at the break.
In the second half. The Bulldogs shot well, making 9-of-15 from the floor. At the free throw line, Columbus Grove was 17-of-21 in the second half.
On the night, Columbus Grove shot 49 percent from the field. Crestview connected on 38 percent of its field goal attempts.
Columbus Grove won the boards, 30-18.
“I was really proud of our guys,” Crestview coach Jeremy Best said. “We came a thousand miles from where we were Tuesday night (loss to Wayne Trace) to tonight. I thought we did a lot of things well. I thought our guys played with a little more sense of purpose and belief in what we were doing. We lacked some things from a physical standpoint, but it wasn’t from an effort standpoint.”
Stechshulte pointed to From as one of the keys in the second half.
“Tanner (From) can play,” Stechschulte said. “He really stepped up big tonight. He’s a pretty good shooter. We had him at the line toward the end of the game. He can shoot free throws. And this is for everybody – when we’re in the right frame of mind, we have a lot of kids who can do good things.”
