Wapakoneta’s Nate Metzger, left, and Perry’s Za’mere Daniel fight for a rebound Friday night at Perry High School. Metzger finished with a team-high 10 points for the Redskins, while Daniel had a game-high 21 points.
Jackelyn Johnson | The Lima News
PERRY TOWNSHIP — The first minute or two of the second half of Wapakoneta’s 44-35 boys basketball win at Perry on Saturday night didn’t determine the outcome, but they certainly signaled a change in direction for the game.
Perry was feeling good after outscoring Wapakoneta 8-2 over the last four minutes of the second quarter to take an 18-14 halftime lead.
But the Commodores’ momentum eroded when Wapakoneta dialed up its intensity a level or two and got back-to-back buckets from Nate Metzger on two early possessions in the second half.
It was still a tie game at 28-28 after three quarters, and it was tied at 35-35 with three minutes to play before Cash Schadl’s 3-pointer gave Wapakoneta a lead it wouldn’t give up the rest of the way.
“We competed tonight. I thought the first half we played was the best first half we played all year,” Perry coach Thomas Nolte said. “Wapak just came out with a little more energy, a little more fight at the beginning of the second half than we did. That was kind of the difference – our lack of energy when we came out at halftime.”
Za’mere Daniel scored 21 points and had six rebounds to lead Perry (3-4). He scored 14 of Perry’s 18 points in the first half.
“Credit to him, he kind of owned us a little bit tonight down low,” Wapakoneta coach Trey Elchert said. “He got a lot of deep post catches and did a good job of finishing.”
Elchert also said the beginning of the third quarter was a turning point.
Metzger’s two scores launched Wapakoneta on its way to shooting 69 percent in the second half (11 of 16) after shooting only 27 percent (6 of 22) in the first half.
“We got ourselves going in transition and got ourselves a couple of easy buckets to start the half, which made it a little easier. I thought we got some decent looks in the first half, but we just weren’t knocking them down and we were able to do that a little bit more in the second half,” Elchert said.
Wapakoneta made three 3-pointers in the second half and four overall in the game. When Daniel hit a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter, it was the first one the Commodores had made in their last four games.
Wapakoneta played without senior starter Zac Niekamp because of a recent non-specific injury.
“He’s dealing with a little bit of an injury. Hopefully, it’s nothing long term. Hopefully he’s back soon.” Elchert said.
Caleb Moyer, who was injured in a football playoff game, is not expected back until mid- to late-January,
“Maybe by January we can be back to full health and get this thing looking a little bit sharper,” Elchert said.
Wapakoneta 44, Perry 35
Wapakoneta 10 4 14 16 — 44
Perry 8 10 10 7 — 35
WAPAKONETA
Nate Metzger 10, Logan Healy 7, Cash Schadl 9, Kaden Page 8, Ryan Sadler 4, Caleb Adams 6. Totals: 17-6-44.
PERRY
Za’mere Daniel 21, Jason Thomas 2, Brady Shively 4, Andrew Nanchoff 2, Marcus Hill 2, Hunter Scott 4. Totals: 16-2-35.
Three-point goals: W – Schadl 3, Adams 1; P – Daniel 1
Records: Perry 3-4; Wapakoneta 5-2.
