Ottawa-Glandorf’s Colin White scores on a dunk during Friday night’s game against Bluffton at Ottawa-Glandorf. See more high school basketball photos at LimaScores.com.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
OTTAWA – Ottawa-Glandorf jumped out quickly against Bluffton.
And the Titans never let up.
O-G’s defensive pressure and pin-point shooting led the way for a convincing 63-33 victory over Bluffton in a non-league boys basketball matchup Friday night at Robert J. Hermiller Gymnasium.
It was Ottawa-Glandorf’s season-opener. Bluffton slips to 0-2 on the young season.
Colin White led Ottawa-Glandorf (1-0) and all scorers with 20 points, including a couple thunderous dunks. The 6-foot-6, junior, Division III First Team All-Ohio guard also came away with seven rebounds. Theo Maag, a 6-foot-7 senior forward had 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Caden Erford scored 10 points, including two 3-pointers. Levi Unterbrink had seven points and two steals for O-G.
Marek Donaldson led Bluffton with 12 points, including two 3-pointers.
Scroll below for more of the story
O-G came out Friday night in full-court pressure and set the tone right from the beginning.
“I think, always with the first night, you have that nervous energy,” O-G head coach Tyson McGlaughlin said. “You have the jitters. … That can go one of two ways. I thought our guys did a really good job of controlling those emotions by coming out and really getting out to a good start.
“We knew Bluffton had some guys who could really shoot the ball. They do a good job of spacing you out. We talked to our guys all week about being able to contest their shots; and maybe make them play a little bit faster than they’re accustomed to. I think with that start (of the game), we came out and did that.”
Scroll below for more of the story
O-G quickly jumped out to a 13-0 lead to start the contest. O-G’s defensive pressure paved the way for several easy transition baskets for the Titans.
Maag scored nine of those early points, working hard inside the paint. Maag tallied 11 points and four rebounds in the first eight minutes of action.
The Titans pulled out to a commanding 25-5 lead by the end of the first quarter. O-G made 11 of 14 shots from the floor in the first stanza. Conversely, Bluffton was just 2 of 11 from the floor, while turning the ball over seven times.
White started to feel it at the offensive end in the second quarter. White ended the first half with 15 points. Maag went into the locker room with 13 points, nine boards and three blocks.
O-G continued to apply full-court pressure, which helped hold the Pirates to 12 second-quarter points.
At the halftime break, O-G led 45-17
The Titans were 20 of 32 shooting from the field in the first half for 63 percent. Bluffton was just 7 of 25 from the floor for 28-percent shooting.
Wade Ginther led the Pirates in the first half with six points, on two 3-pointers.
O-G led 56-24 at the end of the third quarter.
For the game, O-G shot 51 percent from the field. Bluffton connected on 31 percent of its field goal attempts.
The Titans won the battle on the boards, 32-27.
For the game, O-G committed just five turnovers, while Bluffton turned it over 16 times.
McGlaughlin said that it is important for his team to be unselfish, if it wants to be successful this season. Last season, the Titans made a run all the way to the Division III state championship game, where it lost to Cincinnati Taft by three points.
“I think the big thing for us is obviously, understanding and buying into our roles,” McGlaughlin said. “We have guys that understand that their job is not to go out there and score 20 (points) … Their job is to go out there to play really good defense, set the tone, apply pressure, make people uncomfortable and wear people out. I think Levi Unterbrink, Dave Westrick (three rebounds) and Ty Buckland did a really good job of just kind of setting that tone.
“We talk all the time, that we know we have a couple guys that teams are going to focus on. So, we need that supporting cast to come in there and be able to not just maintain, but take us over the top.”
Mark Altstaetter wrote this story for LimaScores.com. Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
