OTTAWA – Ottawa-Glandorf’s boys basketball players think some lessons learned in a trip to the Division III boys state basketball tournament semifinals last year could be helpful when they take on Columbus Africentric in a Division III state semifinal at 10:45 a.m. Friday at the University of Dayton Arena.
“We know a lot more. Last year was a brand new experience. We were going in there kind of blindly but this year we know what it’s about,” the Titans’ leading scorer, Colin White (19.1 points per game), said on Wednesday. “We have a lot of experience going down to Dayton.
“We talked about getting back to state right after the season ended last year. That’s always the dream. You get there one year and you just want to get that feeling back and get to Dayton,” he said.
Carson Fuka, who averages 7.2 points a game and leads O-G in 3-pointers (37), said, “I think this year is a lot different than last year. We didn’t really know what was going to happen because of COVID and limited fans and everything. We know every team down there is going to give us a battle. We’re just going to give it our best and hope we come out with two wins.
“After we lost last year it definitely left a sour taste in our mouths. But our goal is to make it down there (the state tournament) every year. If you come to O-G you know that. You’re expected to win and that’s just what we try to do.”
O-G (24-2) has won 15 games in a row going into its 10:45 a.m. Friday match-up with Africentric (23-5), which has won 10 consecutive games. The Titans’ losses were in overtime against Findlay and by eight points against Lima Senior.
The Nubians are led by Dailyn Swain, a 6-8 junior who averages 20.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3 blocks per game. He is ranked the No. 98 prospect nationally in the junior class in 247sports.com’s composite rankings.
Guard Dan Wagner, a 6-1 senior, is scoring 16.2 points a game and 6-6 junior Preston Steele averages 9.2 points and 7.0 rebounds a game.
O-G’s other starters are 6-3 forward Eli Schmenk (9.8 points a game), 6-7 center Theo Maag (6.8), 5-10 guard Caleb Kuhlman (6.1) and point guard Carter Schimmoeller (4.6 points a game). Fuka, Schimmoeller and Schmenk are the Titans’ top 3-point shooters. Eight O-G players are shooting 30 percent or higher on threes.
Ottawa-Glandorf lost 58-52 to Cleveland Lutheran East in a Division III semifinal last season.
“It’s a way different feeling this year. I’m a sophomore, not a little freshman,” White said. “And I feel like we’re way more confident.”
O-G coach Tyson McGlaughlin said, “We’re not a team that intimidates people getting off the bus. But we’ve got a lot of length and a lot of athleticism. Our guys do a great job of flying around and Colin does a great job of using his athleticism, getting his hands on loose balls and altering shots.
“Colin is super athletic and there’s a reason coaches from across the country are after him as a sophomore,” McGlaughlin said.
Fuka said, “You have to watch how excited you get because you still have to remember you have a game to play. If you get too excited you might forget everything we talked about in practice.
“If we get off to a hot start our fans get into it and that definitely benefits because I don’t think any other team brings a crowd quite like O-G does. When we get the fans into it, it definitely plays to our advantage.
“I grew up going to the state tournament almost every year at the Schottenstein Center. It was always a dream to play there. But I won’t complain about playing in the Final Four at Dayton,” he said.
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