Colin White, of Ottawa-Glandorf, dunks during Friday night’s game at Wapakoneta.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
WAPAKONETA – A lot of conversations about Ottawa-Glandorf’s boys basketball team deservedly begin with Colin White and Caden Erford, but don’t sleep on the Titans’ defense.
That message was on display for all four quarters in O-G’s 57-21 win at Wapakoneta on Friday night.
The Titans held Wapakoneta to 29 percent shooting on field goals, forced 18 turnovers and never led by fewer than 20 points after the first minute of the second half.
“I thought our defensive effort was just phenomenal. I thought we were very disruptive. I thought our guys did a good job of getting them out of their spots. They were uncomfortable,” Ottawa-Glandorf coach Tyson McGlaughlin said.
White scored 26 points, including a pair of three-pointers early in the game and two dunks on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter. Alex Wagner added 10 points for the Titans (4-0, 1-0 Western Buckeye League).
Cash Schadl’s six points led Wapakoneta (2-2, 0-1 WBL).
In the game’s first two minutes, White hit a 3-pointer, connected on a 15-footer and blocked a shot, and Wapakoneta found itself playing from behind the rest of the game.
“It’s fun playing Wapak,” White said. “They’re physical, they play a physical brand of basketball. Hitting a couple of early outside shots just opens everything up for me and the rest of the team.”
O-G was up 30-11 at halftime, led by 15 points from White, and raised its lead to 25 points, 43-18, after three quarters.
“When Colin is playing like that, we’re pretty hard to defend,” McGlaughlin said about White shooting 12 of 16 on field goals. “Obviously, he is a much better shooter this year. He has really put in a lot of time there. The thing about him is he lets the game come to him.”
White said, “I’ve grown a little bit, a little bit wiser and knowing ways to score and can work around defenses thrown at me. Last year I knew one speed, and it was fast. This year I’m just kind of playing into my game and how my game works, which is being physical and taking time getting to the rim.”
McGlaughlin also pointed to Grant Schroeder, a two-year starter, as a difference maker on Friday night.
“Grant does a lot of little things,” he said. “He got in foul trouble early and came out in the third quarter and really established himself. Grant is going to be a really good player for us. We needed him on the defensive end tonight. He and Ross (Maag) were really disruptive to start that game, and that’s what we need out of those guys.”
Schroeder said he has worked to improve his all-around game in the offseason.
“Just facilitating for the team, getting people shots, getting me shots and getting better at defense. I’ve been working on my shot in the offseason,” he said.
Ottawa-Glandorf 57,Wapakoneta 21
Ottawa-Glandorf 14 16 13 14 – 57
Wapakoneta 4 7 7 3 – 21
OTTAWA-GLANDORF
Colin White 26, Caden Erford 7, Ross Maag 2, Grant Schroeder 5, Holden Aldrich 2, Alex Wagner 10, Brody Fortman 3. Totals: 23-3-57.
WAPAKONETA
Nate Metzger 5, Cash Schadl 6, Kaden Page 5, Zac Niekamp 3, Ryan Sadler 2. Totals: 7-4-21.
Three-point goals: OG – Wagner 3, White 2, Schroeder 1, Erford 1, Fortman 1; W – Schadl 2, Niekamp 1.
Records: O-G 4-0, 1-0 WBL; Wapakoneta 2-2, 0-1 WBL.
