Ottoville’s Jace Langhals shoots against Crestview’s Jaret Harting during Friday’s game at L.W. Heckman Gymnasium.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
OTTOVILLE — Redemption.
That is what the Ottoville’s boys basketball team was looking for on Friday night at L.W. Heckman Gymnasium in its battle against Crestview. Crestview knocked off Ottoville in a heartbreaking double-overtime victory in last year’s regional finals.
The teams battled back and forth with each getting scoring streaks and buzzer-beating shots, with the Big Green (6-2) getting the last of the runs to pull away for a 53-37 victory.
“We wanted to make it difficult for them on post entries,” Ottoville coach Keith Utendorf said. “We got that accomplished. We had good defense denying the entry pass, and our back-side help was very good. Yet our help was quick to recover to their respective men. It was great team defense.”
Crestview (7-3) got the first shot of momentum in the contest, taking a 15-11 lead after the first quarter sparked by a halfcourt buzzer-beater by Hayden Parrott (5 points).
Ottoville took control in the second eight minutes, going on an 8-0 spurt. Wren Sheets hit the first bucket of the quarter for the Knights to put them up by a 17-11 count just 30 seconds into the frame, but Adam Brinkman nailed a long-range three to start the eight-point spurt for the home team.
Landon Horstman tied the game at 17-17 before Adam Horstman drew a foul and drained free throws from the line to put Ottoville up with 3:40 to go before the break.
The game teetered back and forth for the remainder of the quarter. Tommy Heffner put the Knights up 23-21 on a foul shot with just four seconds left to go. Just as the first quarter ended on a buzzer-beater for the guests, Ottoville got one of its own going into the half when Brinkman dropped a shot from beyond the arch, putting the Big Green up 24-23 at the break.
Ottoville netted a late triple to nab a 32-31 lead to start the final quarter, and the Big Green rode that to a 42-31 advantage on a basket by Jace Langhals (12 points). From there, Ottoville canned all 11 free throws to win going away.
Crestview hit 14 of 37 shots, with 3 of 10 treys, for 37.8 percent and 50 percent from the free-throw line (50%). The Knights were outrebounded on the glass 34-17 (6-5 offensive) and committed 11 turnovers.
“Our goal was to limit their second chances,” Utendorf added. “We got that done as well by only giving them five offensive rebounds, and overall rebounding was excellent. In the third quarter, we called time after they took a seven-point lead, and we responded well. Garrett (Trentman), Andy (Moorman) and others really stepped up for Keaton Schnipke, who didn’t play tonight.”
Ottoville counted 14 of 31 shots (5 of 10 3-pointers) for 45.2 percent. Landon Horstman grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the way and had 15 turnovers.
Ottoville 53, Crestview 37
Crestview 15 8 8 6 — 37
Ottoville 11 13 8 21 — 53
Crestview
Hayden Perrott 5, Kellin Putnam 9, Tommy Heffner 8, Jaret Harting 5, Wren Sheets 6, Connor Sheets 4. Totals: 11-6-37.
Ottoville
Jace Langhals 10, Garrett Trentman 8, Adam Brinkman 8, Landon Horstman 9, Brandon Calvelage 4, Michael Turnwald 12, Ashton Miller 2. Totals: 9-20-53.
3-pointers: C-Perrott 1, Putnam 1, Heffner 1. O-Brinkman 2, Trentman 1, Calvelage 1, Turnwald 1.
Dave Boninsegna wrote this for LimaScores.com.
