3/6/2010
Crestview falls to Ottoville, 43-38
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| Kirk Dougal/Times Bulletin
Crestview’s Steven Rickard gets ready to pull up for a jumper during a sectional basketball game on Friday, March 5, in Van Wert. |
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BY KIRK DOUGAL
Times Bulletin Editor
kdougal@timesbulletin.com
VAN WERT - Crestview battled and scraped for 32 minutes on Friday in their sectional final game against Ottoville, giving as much as they took before falling in the final minute, 43-38.
At the midpoint of the year, it would have been hard to imagine the Knights playing in the game on Friday night. They had played well at times but often scuffled, losing to teams they believed they should have beaten. But the second half of the year was one of continual improvement and Coach Jeremy Best could not say enough about how far along the team had progressed.
"I am so proud our kids from where we were in December to now,"he said. "Our kids are hurting in there but the nice thing is that most have a chance to come back and have a chance to do it again. From being 3-6 to finishing 12-10 and beating some real quality teams, I think the credit goes to our guys."
Defense was at the forefront at the beginning of the game as both teams struggled to score. Center Alex Altenburger scored first for Ottoville with a put back at the 5:37 mark but Crestview had to wait all the way until the midpoint of the quarter when Nick Adam came off the bench and made a 12-footer on his first trip down the court. Rob Cook followed that up with a dunk after the Knights broke Ottoville's 1-3-1 full court press. But the Big Green's Scott Pohlman kept his team in the game with a trey and a drive. At the end of one, Ottoville led, 11-9.
The Big Green found their rhythm and their shots began falling in the second period. Altenburger scored twice in the paint and Pohlman hit a bucket on a dribble-drive but it was Jordan Schimmoeller's three-pointer that was almost a dagger to the Knights. But when Nathan Turnwald missed a free throw with only seconds left, Crestview's Brad Miller grabbed the rebound, threw the outlet to Conley Zaleski who then gave it back on the secondary break. Miller scored on the layup at the buzzer and Crestview had cut into the lead by one, trailing by only 22-21.
Despite the close score, Crestview was having rebounding problems with Rob Cook on the bench with foul troubles. Forward Dallis Gibson moved into the paint and gave a good effort and Best was even able to get some quality minutes from 6'5" freshman Josh Ream, including a terrific box out and rebound which drew a foul from Altenburger. But rebounding was a theme that would continue for the rest of the game.
Cook started the scoring in the second half with a drop step off the left block and then Steven Rickard hit a 10-foot floater on the baseline - both off of Ottoville turnovers. That forced Big Green coach Tom Von Sossan to call timeout with Crestview leading, 25-22. But right out of the break Nathan Turnwald hit a three in the right corner and the game was tied. From there they traded buckets until the buzzer with Ottoville leading by only two points, 31-29.
Again the two teams traded points until the Knights' Adam hit a free throw for a 36-35 Crestview lead. Von Sossan had Altenburger and Turnwald playing inside/outside isolation, however, and Turnwald finally got loose for another trey with only a little more than a minute left in the contest.
Best set his offensive play and they got an open look but the ball rolled out and it was Evan Vining, Crestview's only senior, who went up strong and grabbed the rebound. He went right back up underneath the bucket but there was Altenburger who slammed the shot away. From there it was free throws for Ottoville to put the game on ice.
"We did everything we needed to do - offensively, defensively. We didn't put the ball in the basket as well as we'd like or get to the free throw line but we had a fabulous effort, a fabulous tournament."
Crestview was led by Nick Adam's 11 points off the bench and Brad Miller's seven rebounds. Ottoville received 12 points from both Nathan Turnwald and Scott Pohlman and ten rebounds from Alex Altenburger.
Unofficially, Crestview was 17 of 45 from the field for 38 percent, including one of five (20%) from beyond the arc. They were also three of five from the free throw line.
Ottoville was 14 of 40 for 35 percent from the field. That included only four of 16 (25%) shooting from three-point land and 11 of 17 (65%) from the charity stripe.
Ottoville won the battle of the boards, 33-22, while Crestview took the edge on turnovers, eight to nine.
Ottoville will move on to play Ft. Recovery at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 9 at Wapakoneta High School in the district semifinal opener.
1 2 3 4 Totals
Crestview 9 12 8 9 38
Ottoville 11 11 9 12 43
Crestview - Zaleski 1-0-3, Miller 2-0-4, Adam 4-3-11, Rickard 3-0-6, Gibson 4-0-8, Vining 1-0-2, Cook 2-0-4, Ream 0-0-0 Totals 17-3-38
Ottoville - Schimmoeller 1-0-3, Byrne 1-0-2, Turnwald 2-6-12, S. Pohlman 4-3-12, K. Pohlman 2-2-6, Eickholt 0-0-0, Altenburger 4-0-8, Rue 0-0-0 Totals 14-11-43
3 Pts. - Crestview (1) - Zaleski; Ottoville (4) - Schimmoeller, Turnwald (2), S. Pohlman
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