Tyler Kropp lands a knockout blow on Keegan Knupp, but it was not the one the Patriots had hoped for against the Pioneers. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Brian Bayless)
Fueled by a great start, strong transition play, and a balanced offense, the Pioneers again affirmed that the battle for the OCC Central Division runs through them.
Powell, OH – Pinpointing what is the biggest strength of the Olentangy Orange boys basketball team hasn’t been an easy task during what has so far been a perfect run through the Ohio Capital Conference Central Division.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Pioneers’ latest league victory, a 67-63 decision Friday at Olentangy Liberty, was the style points created by their fast-paced play. Not only did Orange possess a double-digit lead against one of the league’s other top contenders just four minutes into the game, but its transition attack had created six dunks by the time the final buzzer sounded.
One could also point to the fact that the Pioneers went 11-for-12 from the free-throw line or that their balanced approach produced four players finishing between 11 and 15 points.
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Other than a critique from coach Anthony Calo regarding how the Pioneers are still a work-in-progress when it comes to finishing games, there’s every reason to think expectations will remain sky high for a team coming off a regional runner-up finish from a year ago.
Veteran central Ohio columnist Jarrod Ulrey writes the OCC and sports at large for Press Pros
“I love this team,” Orange senior guard Ellis Appiah said. “Everybody’s happy for each other and nobody is mad if someone scores more than another. It’s a great experience to be a part of. I love the position we’re in. Hopefully we can go 10-0 (in the league) like last year if we keep putting the work in.”
The Pioneers, who improved to 11-1 overall and 5-0 in the league while the Patriots dropped to 9-3 overall and 4-1 in the league, found themselves in a battle down the stretch despite taking a 54-41 lead into the final period.
Liberty senior Tyler Kropp, a 6-foot-9 post player who has signed with Northwestern and entered the game averaging 18.8 points, opened the fourth quarter with a dunk. A three-point play by Patriots sophomore Jeffrey Reynolds with 3 minutes, 40 seconds remaining cut it to 56-52.
Devin Brown pounds one down during the first half of play against the Patriots.
Patriots senior Nick Butterfield, one of three returning key players along with Kropp and junior forward Parker Van Engelenhoven from a team that went 14-10 a year ago, completed a four-point play with 11 seconds left to cut it to 64-61.
Liberty got within 65-63 with 2.2 seconds to go on a putback dunk by Kropp, but Orange junior Levi Davis hit a pair of free throws with 1.1 left to seal the win.
“It’s disappointing, but we’ll see them at least one more time if not two more times,” Liberty coach Greg Nossaman said. “Some of the things we didn’t do well are tough to practice. I don’t know how many transition points they had, but it was quite a bit. We could have put our tail between our legs and given up. We had a chance but we just ran out of time.”
During the game’s first four minutes, Orange got one 3-pointer apiece from Appiah, junior guard Treyton Schroeder and senior guard Devin Brown and led 15-2.
“We love to get out to good starts,” senior wing player Keegan Knupp said. “It really jump-starts us. If we start slow, it turns out bad. We get them tired in the first quarter and it’s a recipe for success. We like to space out the court, get the shots we want to take, make layups and take open 3s. We just capitalized. It’s awesome (being 11-1) but we’ve got to keep it going.”
Levi Davis and Jeffrey Reynolds mix it up along the baseline.
While Knupp is an Eastern Michigan baseball signee and Davis could have a future playing college football, senior guard Devin Brown and Appiah have signed with to Davidson and Denison, respectively.
Brown, a second-team all-state honoree last season who averages 13 points, was one of three players to finish with 15 for the Pioneers along with Davis and Knupp.
“We’ve got to close that game better,” Orange coach Anthony Calo said. “We’ve got to value the ball. Give them credit again because they deserved it, but if we take care of the basketball, it doesn’t get that close. We had some costly turnovers down the stretch. We have to possess the ball better.
“Do I have a ton of confidence in this team? Absolutely. We have a ton of experience with four starters back from a 26-2 team. We’ve gotten off to some fast starts, but the problem is a lot of teams want to stall us. We’re really selfless overall, we share the ball, and we’re balanced. Our kids trust each other, and it’s a good thing.”
Treyton Schroeder breaks the Patriot pressure late in the 4th with just seconds remaining in the game, helping to thwart any hope of a Patriot comeback.
The Pioneers won’t have time to rest considering they travel to Kettering Fairmont on Saturday in the Flyin’ to the Hoop annual showcase where they’ll face nationally ranked CIA Bella Vista from Scottsdale, Arizona.
Kropp finished with 18 points and Butterfield and Van Engelenhoven both scored 14 for the Patriots, who return to action Sunday with a matchup against Toledo St. Francis at Ohio Dominican.
“You can’t go down, what was it (15-2) against a good team like that, but we could have folded the tents and we battled back,” Nossaman said. “We’re not a pressing team. We’re long and we want to make it a halfcourt game, but we got beat in transition too much. We’re 9-3 and we’ve lost to three really good teams.”
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GIRLS
Liberty 59, Orange 50
In the opener of the girls-boys doubleheader, the Patriots got 18 points from senior Claire Mikola and 15 from senior Maria Stack to improve to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the OCC-Central.
Ava Boccio keeps close watch on Liberty’s Claire Mikola during a crosstown rivalry game.
The Pioneers, who dropped to 4-8 overall and 1-4 in the OCC-Central, rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to take a 39-35 lead early in the fourth quarter before the Patriots answered with an 11-2 run. Liberty made it 50-43 on a 3-pointer by sophomore Addy Pyles midway through the fourth and outscored the Pioneers 26-15 overall during the final period.
“We were winning by double digits (in the first half) and they came back and took the lead,” Liberty coach Tom Waterwash said. “That’s kind of been our season. (Pyles) can shoot the ball when she gets in a good rhythm.”
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