No. 3 Northmor 64, No. 12 Berne Union 29

No. 3 Northmor (16-8) used an entire team effort with 10 players scoring points for the Golden Knights to take a convincing 64-29 win over No. 12 Berne Union (4-19) in the opening round of the Division IV, Region 16 OHSAA playoffs.

In the first quarter, Northmor started with a 7-0 run. They got on the board first with a three by Drew Hammond and later capitalized off a steal by Hunter Fulk, who dished it to Jax Wenger for a score. Grant Bentley later had a steal of his own and dished an assist to Wenger for another score to go up 11-1 with 6 minutes left. Fulk also had a steal with the game at 9-3 as the Rockets were looking up court for a fast break opportunity. With 40 seconds left, Wenger made it a 16-6 game on a three. Northmor ended the first up 18-7, with Wenger and Hammond each scoring seven points.

In the second quarter, Northmor had an 18-8 advantage, and took a 36-15 lead into halftime. Caleb Schnuerer had nine points, all on threes. Wenger scored seven points. 

The dominance continued in the third quarter with Northmor outscoring the Rockets 15-6, led by Fulk’s five points and Bentley’s four points. The Rockets finished with a 13-8 advantage in the fourth quarter, but the damage had already been done and the Golden Knights cruised to an easy win. 

Wenger led the Knights with 14 points and Schnuerer also hit double figures with 11 points. Hammond scored nine points and Northmor got a solid effort out of Bryson Keirns with eight points. Fulk scored seven points and Bentley, who has been the team’s top scorer and one of the best in KMAC, scored six points. 

“Great game from the top down,” said Northmor basketball coach Blade Tackett. “Grant only had six and Max defended their best player and distributed well. While Jax still led us, we got huge contributions from the likes of Caleb Schnuerer, Drew Hammond, Bryson Keirns and Isaac Black. We have the depth and ability to pick each other up when some of our typical guys struggle and that could be huge here next week. (I) want to give a shoutout to Cole Cuffman, Bo Landin, Logan Caudill, AJ Bower and Griffin Healea, who played a phenomenal scout team. They watched film with me on Monday and helped build the scouter. They knew all the calls and all offensive and defensive tendencies. I hope they know they have as much to do with this win as our top eight and I’m proud of them. They will be very important if we want to continue this run.”

Northmor shot 47% as a team and 35% from three, while holding Berne Union to 22% and 18%, respectively. The Golden Knights led 38-23 in boards, 13-2 in assists and 11-7 in steals.

No. 9 Fredericktown 54, No. 19 North Union 42

No. 9 Fredericktown (17-7) has been rolling just in time for the playoffs, and the Freddies beat No. 19 North Union (19-3) 54-42 in the sectional final round of the Division III, Region 11 OHSAA tournament.

Ben Mast opened up the scoring for the Freddies with a three with 6:30 on the clock, but they found themselves trailing 10-7 before Luke Bean nailed a three to tie things up with about two minutes left in the first.

With 7:40 left in the second, Bean hit another three to cut the North Union lead to one at 14-13. Then with 6:50 left, Brady Lester hit a three to take the lead 16-14. The game was tied at 16-16 and Trevor Bellman kept it that way with a steal near their basket. Teegan Ruhl also had a steal with the Fredericktown squad up 18-16 with 3:30 left in the half.

In the third quarter, the Freddies were up 30-27 and Kaid Carpenter swatted away a layup. The game was anyone’s with 7:52 left in the fourth quarter, and the Wildcats were leading 37-35 when Bean got in on the defense with a steal on a great hustle play. With about five minutes on the clock, Ruhl also chipped in on defense with a steal, with the game tied 37-37. As he has done at key points all season, Bean drained another shot from downtown to put the Freddies up 42-38 with 3:10 left and the Freddies were able to hold on for a key win.

Fredericktown shot 44% and 33% from three, with 75% of their foul shots made. They held North Union to 32% and 12% from three. Fredericktown led in rebounds 27-25 and assists 10-5, while trailing 8-4 in steals and 3-1 in blocks.

Previously, the Freddies beat No. 17 Liberty Union 54-42. North Union previously had a 51-41 win over No. 7 Heath.

The Freddies now have the daunting task of facing No. 1 Columbus Africentric (18-5) on Feb. 27.

No. 15 Columbus Wellington 82, No. 6 Danville 67

No. 6 Danville (9-15) came in with high hopes of making a deep run in the Division IV, Region 15 OHSAA state tournament, but No. 15 Columbus Wellington (3-19) came in with other ideas and walked away with a big upset win by a score of 82-67 in the opening round.

The Jaguars had a huge lead in the first quarter to open the game at 16-4, but Walker Weckesser hit a three to close the gap to nine, making it 16-7 with 3:20 on the clock. It was a 21-9 lead for the Jaguars, when Dustin Beckett got off a three to put the score at 21-12 with 1:50 left on a shot that rattled around the rim until it finally fell. It was a 24-16 game as the quarter was winding down and the Jaguars were looking for more damage near the hoop, but Kendall Carter swatted away a shot with authority to keep it an eight-point game.

Fast forward to the third quarter, and Danville had managed to come back and make it a seven-point game on a three by Beckett to put the score at 43-36. 

In the fourth quarter, the Jags were up 60-49 when Weckesser stepped into a passing lane for a steal and took it coast-to-coast, making it a nine-point game. The Jaguars went up 65-52, but Caleb Lucas managed to hit a three to make it a 10-point game with 4:20 left. Later in the quarter, Spencer Payne stole a pass and took it to the hoop to put the score at 69-61 and the Blue Devils were still in it. After a Levi Lyons steal, the Blue Devils got the ball to Weckesser in the corner for a three to bring it to 69-64. Beckett then kept the Blue Devils alive on a steal on an inbound pass, but the Jaguars held on and controlled the rest of the way for the win.

Danville shot 46% and 26% from three, while the Jaguars shot 48% and 41% from three. Danville led 32-28 in boards and 13-12 in assists. Each team had eight steals and one block.

Wellington takes on No. 7 Newark Catholic, who upset No. 4 Lancaster Fairfield Christian Academy 59-54 in the opening round. The game takes place on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.

No. 5 Canal Winchester Harvest Prep 78, No. 12 Utica 62

No. 12 Utica (15-9) shot well against No. 5 Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (17-6), but the Warriors were able to control the secondary statistics and came away with a 78-62 win in the second round of the Division III, Region 12 OHSAA state tournament.

Harvest Prep went up 5-1 to start the game, but Brody McDaniel sank a three with 5:30 on the clock to make it 5-4. Harvest Prep was up 15-8 later in the quarter with 2:15 on the clock, but Gavin Chinn made two solid defensive stops with a pair of steals that led to the Redskins making it a 15-11 game. Trenton Collins also had a steal in the quarter.

With the game 17-13 in the second quarter, the strong defense continued for Utica with a Roman Gamble steal. The score was 30-25 with time winding down in the quarter and McDaniel made things interesting going into halftime with a three to make it a 30-28 game.

In the fourth quarter, the Warriors expanded their lead to 53-39, but McDaniel hit from deep again to make it a 53-42 game. With the Redskins trailing 55-42, Zach Heckman blocked a shot to stop the Warriors' momentum. McDaniel followed up with a three from the corner to make it a 10-point game, 55-45. With 2:50 left, McDaniel struck again from three to make it 69-56, but Harvest Prep commanded the tempo of the game and managed to hold on for the win.

Utica shot 42% and 50% from three while making 71% of their free throws. Harvest Prep shot 53% and 29% from three, but hit 80% of their free throws. Harvest Prep also controlled the glass 32-26, assists 25-9, steals 10-4 and blocks 4-1.

Utica had previously beaten No. 20 Mount Gilead 85-54 in the opening round. Harvest Prep beat No. 25 East Knox 91-46 in the first round.

Next for Harvest Prep is No. 4 Johnstown Northridge (18-5), who previously beat No. 14 Elgin 63-34 and had a bye for the opening round. The game takes place on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.

No. 2 Worthington Christian 50, No. 24 Cardington-Lincoln 16

No. 2 Worthington Christian (20-4) controlled every facet of the game against No. 24 Cardington-Lincoln (8-15), beating the Pirates 50-16 in the second round of the Division III, Region 12 OHSAA tournament.

Worthington Christian went up big early and never looked back, taking a 13-2 early first-quarter lead.

The Warriors continued their domination in the second quarter, going up 21-4 on a Gibby Wilson three, and then 24-4 on a three by Michael Redd II.

In the third quarter, Worthington Christian was up 31-9 and then went on a 13-0 run to go up 43-9, highlighted by a fast break dunk by Samuel Johnson.

Cardington-Lincoln was held to 15% and 13% from three, while only making 33% from three. Worthington Christian shot 46% and 30% from three, while making 50% off the foul line. The Warriors out-rebounded Cardington-Lincoln 37-24 and led in assists 7-4. They also led 11-6 in steals and had the game’s only three blocks.

Worthington Christian previously beat No. 23 West Jefferson 47-44 in the opening round. The Pirates had a bye in the first round.

On Feb. 27, Worthington Christian will take on Milford Center Fairbanks in the district semifinals.

No. 3 Columbus Academy 45, No. 11 Centerburg 31

No. 11 Centerburg (16-9) had a solid regular season and a big opening round win, but the Trojans had their hands full with a tough No. 3-seed Columbus Academy squad (19-2), in a 45-31 loss to the Vikings in the second round of the Division III, Region 11 OHSAA tournament.

Centerburg trailed 10-4 after one quarter and the Trojans were down 12-8 in the second quarter, but Grayson Reynolds scrambled for a loose ball to kill the momentum of the Vikings. Trevin Harris followed quickly after with a steal of his own. Reynolds then drained a three to give the Trojans a 13-12 lead with about two minutes left. At the half, Centerburg trailed 17-15.

In the third quarter, Columbus Academy led 21-19 and Jack Lawrence dove for a loose ball for a steal to keep the game close. Reynolds also had a block with the game 26-19. It was a 30-19 game after three quarters.

By the fourth quarter, the Vikings had distanced themselves at 38-23, but Reynolds hit another three to make it a 12-point game. Isaiah Sule then hit a three to make it a 45-31 game. Bennett Hill also had a steal in the quarter.

Centerburg shot 32% and 27% from three. Columbus Academy led 29-26 in rebounds, 8-6 in assists, 9-4 in steals and both teams had blocks. The Vikings shot 35% and 44% from three, and 75% from the foul line.

Previously, Centerburg beat No. 18 Tree of Life Christian 54-34. The Vikings previously defeated No. 22 Grove City Christian 50-37.

Columbus Academy takes on No. 13 London Madison Plains (12-8) on Feb. 27. Previously, they beat No. 21 Columbus Horizon Science Academy 63-21.