ELIDA — Shawnee came back from 17 points down to beat Elida the first time they met this season in the Tip-Off Classic and the sequel was similar when the Indians rallied from seven points behind in the fourth quarter for a 54-51 boys basketball win at the Elida Fieldhouse on Friday night.
Shawnee (16-6, 8-1 Western Buckeye League) played without its leading scorer, Beckett Bertke, for all but 5 ½ minutes of the first half when he got two quick fouls. He eventually picked up two more fouls and played the last five minutes of the game with four.
Shawnee also played without starting center Alex Goldsberry, who was ill and informed coach Mark Triplett he was too lightheaded to play with six minutes left in pre-game warm-ups. And for the first three quarters, Elida seemed to be able to slip through Shawnee’s defense for a lay-up almost every time it drove to the basket.
A’mari Wash scored 19 points to lead Elida (15-7, 6-3 Western Buckeye League). Jackson Covault and Zori Island had 10 points. Beckett Bertke led Shawnee (16-6, 8-1 WBL) with 16 points and Trevick Bertke scored 13 points.
“I think, in basically the last seven minutes of the game, we gave up four points. We made enough plays, we did enough on the offensive end, and hit a giant shot,” Mark Triplett said.
That giant shot belonged to Trevick Bertke. With the score tied at 51-51 and 49 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the 6-5 freshman point guard hit a 3-pointer which eventually was the margin of victory.
Bertke said, “My teammates trusted me, my coach trusted me and I shot it. That was probably the biggest shot that I’ve ever hit.”
Driving into a dream scenario
OTTOVILLE – Ottoville junior Landon Horstman said he has dreamed of making a free throw with the game on the line and time running out.
Horstman’s dream came true on Friday night when Ottoville faced Wayne Trace in a non-league boys basketball game at L.W. Heckman Gymnasium.
With 7.7 seconds remaining in the game and Wayne Trace leading 45-43, Ottoville inbounded the basketball.
Ottoville senior guard Michael Turnwald maneuvered his way around a couple of defenders and delivered a pass to Horstman, who drove to the rim and scored. Horstman was fouled on his field goal and now had an opportunity to give his team the lead at the free-throw line.
With the game knotted 45-45, Horstman sank the free-throw to give the Big Green a one-point lead.
After Horstman’s successful free throw, Wayne Trace was unable to get the ball down the court to attempt a shot as time ran out and Ottoville slipped out with a thrilling 46-45 victory over Wayne Trace.
With the hard-fought win, Ottoville ended the regular season with an overall record of 16-6. Wayne Trace slipped to 16-5.
Horstman ended the game with 13 points, 13 rebounds, two steals, and two assists.
“It’s something that I’ve dreamed of,” Horstman said about making the critical free throw after scoring a field goal in the final seconds of the contest. “I was a little nervous going into it, but I was happy at the way it turned out.”
Kyle Stoller led Wayne Trace and all scorers with 23 points, including a perfect 9 of 9 shooting from the free-throw line.
Making a mark in MAC history
DELPHOS — Delphos St. John’s could have used last year’s late-season loss to Marion Local as motivation for Friday night’s MAC finale, but they didn’t need to.
The Blue Jays knew exactly what was at stake with the back-to-back outright league champion Flyers in town, and they delivered with a 57-47 win, clinching their first outright MAC title since 2005.
“The opportunity to win it (the conference) outright on senior night trumped the thought of last year’s loss,” St. John’s coach Aaron Elwer said. “It was brought up, and I thought if it gave our guys a little more energy then why not? But our guys knew what was in play, and they’ve been really locked in all year.”
Last February, Delphos St. John’s visited Marion Local with a chance at a share of the conference title but ultimately suffered a 58-48 loss.
On Friday night, the Blue Jays (20-2) used a total team effort to earn the title of “outright champs,” an honor the Flyers (9-13) held each of the past two seasons.
“At the end of the day, this game is played with five guys, and the more players you have that can make plays, the tougher we are to defend,” Elwer said.
Seven St. John’s players finished the game with at least five points, led by Cameron Elwer with a hard-earned 18.
Marion Local got 14 points from Austin Niekamp and 11 from Jack Knapke.
This is the 10th time St. John’s has won the MAC championship and the third time outright in the conference’s history.
“The MAC is so well documented in every sport, so to win it outright is awesome, but to do it undefeated is a heck of a season,” Elwer said. “We got to witness that, and it seems a little bit surreal, but I knew at the start of the year that if we could stay healthy, we had a chance to be a great team. To our guys’ credit, they’ve kept getting better, they trust the process and they’ve earned the right to be outright champions.”
A selfless act on Senior night
OTTAWA — Ottawa-Glandorf’s seniors wrapped up an incredible regular-season run Friday night by doing what they’ve grown accustomed to doing.
The Titans played phenomenal defense. They hit a baker’s dozen 3-pointers, and they won their third outright Western Buckeye League championship in a row, going 9-0 in the league and 19-3 overall after an 82-46 win at home against Kenton.
“I think sometimes we might take everything for granted,” said Caden Erford, who scored 22 points in his final regular-season game. “But on nights like this, it just makes you grateful for all of it. I give all the credit to our fan base and our student section because they come out like this every single game. It’s just a great feeling.”
The only real surprise in the game came with the opening tip. The Titans’ Ohio State-bound leader, senior Colin White, sat on the bench to begin his final regular-season game on senior night. He opted to let O-G’s other five seniors start the game while he watched for the first two minutes.
“I feel like I get a lot of the spotlight, and my teammates put in just as much work,” White said. “They’re there every day at practice, shooting extra after practice. I thought I’d give them the chance to start in their last regular-season game. They really deserved it, and it went pretty well.”
O-G coach Tyson McGlaughlin said White came to him at the end of the school day Friday and told him “the decision was final.”
“He said, ‘I want the other seniors to start,’” McGlaughlin said. “When you’ve got a kid like that — an Ohio State recruit who has all the recognition and rightfully so — but he cares about his teammates and classmates getting to start tonight, it speaks volumes for who Colin White is.”
White still finished with a team-high 23 points, including a dunk for his first basket of the game and two other crowd-pleasing jams.
Not one, but two league titles
PANDORA – Pandora-Gilboa added a Putnam County League championship to a shared Blanchard Valley Conference title with a 59-19 boys basketball win over Continental on Thursday night.
This year’s double championship was the third for Pandora-Gilboa. It also won the BVC and PCL in 2022 and 2018.
This season, the Rockets counted winning both leagues among their goals.
“This was our goal. To start out the year, we put our goals up on the board. The BVC and PCL were our goals and we accomplished that. We want to win sectionals and that’s up next,” said senior Aiden Harris, who led Pandora-Gilboa with 26 points and 7 rebounds.
Pandora-Gilboa finished the regular season 20-2, including 7-0 in the Putnam County League and 7-1 in the Blanchard Valley Conference.
Speed, athleticism, and a runaway victory
FINDLAY — LCC’s boys basketball team possesses two main qualities that coaches can’t teach and players can’t learn, speed and athleticism.
On Tuesday night, those two things were the defining factors in a 65-53 win over Liberty-Benton.
The T-Birds (19-2) scored 13 straight points in the first quarter after going down 2-0 and never looked back.
“Our number one key was to limit their runs. Make them 6-0 and not 12-0, so it was extremely disappointing to be in that position early,” Liberty-Benton coach Doug Whiteman said. “Credit to our guys for fighting back because we had to give our best effort to have a chance against a team like that.”
Willie Foster scored a game-high 21 points for the T-Birds. Jordan Priddy added 19 points, and Demarr Foster hit a pair of threes and finished the game with 12 points.
Willie Foster hit eight of his first 10 shots and finished the game an efficient 10 for 16 from the floor.
“He’s a very talented young man,” LCC coach Sean Powell said. “We try to get him in space and allow him to showcase his talent. Tonight he did a pretty good job of dipping his inside shoulder to get leverage on his guy and get to the basket.”
Jake Gerken paced Liberty-Benton with 18 points. Carson Conaway added 15.
Big scorers
Several area boys basketball players topped the 15-point plateau in recent games:
• Zamere Daniel scored a game-high 28 points for Perry in a 75-49 loss to Ridgemont.
• Jarron Swick scored 25 points and surpassed 1,000 career points in Fort Jennings’ win over Leipsic
• Brevin Brandt of Leipsic contributed 25 points in a losing effort against Fort Jennings.
• Carson Barnes of Waynesfield-Goshen scored 20 points in a win over North Baltimore.
• Jude Otto of Miller City had 20 points in a 56-46 win over Paulding.
• Ty Lammers of Leipsic scored 20 points in a 69-60 loss to Fort Jennings.
• Blake Sommers scored 20 points for Bluffton in a four-point loss to Paulding.
• Bo Birnesser of Columbus Grove tallied 19 points in a Northwest Conference victory over Allen East.
• Carter Sudhoff scored 18 points for Spencerville in a 69-36 win over Delphos Jefferson.
• Will Sensabaugh of Spencerville had 17 points in a win over Delphos Jefferson.
• Zack Zimmerman of Ada scored 16 points in a 61-46 win over Vanlue.
• Cash Schadl scored 15 points, leading Wapakoneta to a 15-point win over Defiance.
• Levi Glick of Waynesfield-Goshen tallied 15 points in a 70-58 win over North Baltimore.
• Zavier Tickle of Bath scored 15 points in a loss to Van Wert.
BOYS BASKETBALL STANDINGS
Western Buckeye League
`WBL`All
Ottawa-Glandorf`9-0`19-3
Shawnee`8-1`16-6
St. Marys`6-3`16-6
Elida`6-3`15-7
Celina`5-4`12-10
Wapakoneta`5-4`12-10
Defiance`3-6`7-15
Kenton`2-7`11-11
Van Wert`1-8`4-18
Bath`0-9`2-20
Midwest Athletic Conference
`MAC`All
St. John’s`9-0`20-2
Coldwater`8-1`17-5
St. Henry`7-2`17-5
Minster`5-4`13-9
Versailles`4-5`11-11
Marion Local`4-5`9-13
New Bremen`4-5`9-13
Parkway`3-6`12-10
Fort Recovery`1-8`7-15
New Knoxville`0-9`4-18
Northwest Conference
`NWC`All
Spencerville`8-0`18-4
Bluffton`6-2`17-5
Crestview`6-2`15-7
Columbus Grove`5-3`13-9
Allen East`4-4`12-10
Leipsic`4-4`10-12
Delphos Jefferson`2-6`6-16
Lincolnview`1-7`5-17
Ada`0-8`5-17
Northwest Central Conference
`NWCC`All
Upper Scioto Valley`9-0`14-8
Ridgemont`6-3`15-7
Cory-Rawson`6-3`10-12
Waynesfield-Goshen`6-3`10-12
Perry`5-4`7-15
Ridgedale`4-5`13-9
Hardin Northern`4-5`6-16
North Baltimore`3-6`9-13
Temple Christian`1-8`8-14
Elgin`1-8`3-19
Putnam County League
`PCL`All
Pandora – Gilboa`7-0`20-2
Ottoville`6-1`16-6
Miller City`5-2`18-4
Columbus Grove`3-4`13-9
Kalida`3-4`4-18
Leipsic`2-5`10-12
Fort Jennings`2-5`9-13
Continental`0-7`3-19
Toledo City Athletic League
`TCAL`All
Lima Senior`6-1`13-9
Start`5-1`7-13
Scott`5-3`11-8
Woodward`2-4`5-15
Bowsher`2-4`4-16
Rogers`2-5`11-11
Waite`0-4`1-19
RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Friday
Ottoville 46, Wayne Trace 45
Ottawa-Glandorf 82, Kenton 46
Shawnee 54, Elida 41
Delphos St. John’s 57, Marion Local 47
Paulding 70, Bluffton 66
Lincolnview 54, Ada 43
Columbus Grove 68, Allen East 52
Van Wert 62, Bath 42
Spencerville 69, Delphos Jefferson 36
Ayersville 47, Kalida 34
Ridgemont 75, Perry 49
Waynesfield-Goshen 50, Temple Christian 45
North Baltimore 66, Hardin Northern 51
Wapakoneta 60, Defiance 45
Crestview 74, Leipsic 44
St. Marys 52, Celina 40
Upper Scioto Valley 62, Cory-Rawson 38
Miller City 66, Hicksville 51
LCC 48, Arlington 44
Continental 53, McComb 40
Coldwater 65, Minster 54
Parkway 50, New Knoxville 42
New Bremen 65, Fort Recovery 59
Saturday
Allen East 45, Perry 43
Ada 61, Vanlue 46
Tuesday
Games ended after The Lima News deadline. Find scores, game stories, photos and more on LimaScores.com.
Defiance at Upper Sandusky, 7 p.m.
Columbus Grove at Bluffton, 7 p.m.
Mansfield Madison at Lima Senior, 7 p.m.
Van Wert at Celina, 7 p.m.
Bath at Napoleon, 7 p.m.
Riverdale at Allen East, 7 p.m.
Wednesday
Lincolnview at Cory-Rawson, 7 p.m.
Delphos Jefferson at Leipsic, 7 p.m.
Waynesfield-Goshen at Marion Local, 7 p.m.
Hardin Northern at New Riegel, 7 p.m.
Kalida at Miller City, 7 p.m.
Continental at Crestview, 7 p.m.
Fort Jennings at Parkway, 7 p.m.
Ada at LCC, 7 p.m.
Temple Christian at Perry, 7 p.m.
Fort Recovery at Upper Scioto Valley, 7 p.m.
Friday
Kenton at St. Marys, 7 p.m.
Wapakoneta at Anthony Wayne, 7 p.m.
GIRLS BASKETBALL RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Saturday
Kalida 57, Lincolnview 24
Allen East 56, Coldwater 47
Ottawa-Glandorf 63, Elmwood 20
Columbus Grove 47, Fort Jennings 18
Marion Local 55, Upper Scioto Valley 9
St. Henry 66, Waynesfield-Goshen 29
Crestview 82, Fayette 21
Bath 42, Napoleon 25
Wapakoneta 55, Ashland 47
Minster 49, New Knoxville 25
New Bremen 42, Perry 25
Ottoville 58, Cory-Rawson 20
Delphos Jefferson 61, Paulding 34
Miller City 47, Leipsic 33
Parkway 44, Wayne Trace 30
Rodgers 52, St. Marys 41
Findlay 61, Lima Senior 29
Bryan 75, Elida 43
Liberty Benton 61, Wauseon 32
Ayersville 43, Edgerton 29
Thursday
D-I Lake District
Wapakoneta vs Anthony Wayne, 6 p.m.
Findlay vs Tol. Notre Dame Academy, 7:30 p.m.
D-II Miller City District
Bath vs Liberty-Benton, 6 p.m.
Bryan vs Tol. Rodgers, 7:30 p.m.
D-III Elida District
Parkway vs Ottawa-Glandorf, 6 p.m.
Delphos Jefferson vs Allen East, 7:30 p.m.
D-IV Ottawa-Glandorf District
Ottoville vs Miller City, 6 p.m.
Columbus Grove vs Kalida, 7:30 p.m.
D-IV Defiance District
Crestview vs Stryker, 6 p.m.
Ayersville vs Montpelier, 7:30 p.m.
D-IV Wapakoneta District
Minster vs New Bremen, 6 p.m.
Marion Local vs St. Henry, 7:30 p.m.