Boys Basketball: Big second half propels Delaware Hayes to first regional championship
Saturday, March 16, 2024
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Delaware’s Landon Vanderwarker scores while Olentangy Orange’s Keegan Knupp defends in a Division I regional final Mar. 16 at Ohio Dominican. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Landon Vanderwarker received some advice after the last game and he put it to good use this time around. The junior forward put together a strong performance on both ends.
The Pacers rode a big second half to beat Olentangy Orange 74-56 to win their first Division I regional championship on March 16 at Ohio Dominican’s Alumni Hall.
Delaware faces Cleveland St. Ignatius in a state semifinal on March 23 at 5:15 p.m. at the University of Dayton Arena.
Vanderwarker was held to four points in the regional semifinal – a 56-40 win over Hilliard Bradley. But he was tasked with guarding Cade Norris.
Against Orange, Vanderwarker drew the assignment of marking Devin Brown.
“Last game, my job was to guard Cade and I feel like I did that to the best of my ability,” said Landon Vanderwarker, who had 16 points, 12 rebounds and a pair of assists. “Coach (Adam Vincenzo), (David) Dennis (Jr.) and my dad (Ryan Vanderwarker) were all just like, you can guard somebody, and it doesn’t mean you have to give up your offense. You can go in and score your buckets and that’s what I did tonight.”
Olentangy Orange’s Devin Brown drives against Delaware’s Will Sims in a Division I regional final Mar. 16 at Ohio Dominican. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Brown scored 12 of his game-high 21 points in the second quarter, though. Vanderwarker spent much of the period on the bench with two fouls and Orange turned a 22-17 deficit after one quarter into a 39-35 lead at the break.
The big halftime adjustment? Delaware changed from a man defense to a matchup 2-3 zone and it worked as the Pioneers scored just 17 points in the second half.
“(Orange was) elite in the second quarter,” said Vincenzo, whose team improved to 27-1. “They missed two shots all quarter and they were both 3s. So, we (felt) like it was time to go to our zone and see if we could just change the pace. Man, did it change the pace. It was a big difference for us. It kept them out of the paint. Just good stuff.”
Brown was on the bench with three fouls early in the third quarter where the Pacers started 13-0. Delaware also opened the fourth quarter with a 14-0 run.
Delaware’s Jesse Burris celebrates a three-pointer against Olentangy Orange during the Pacers’ regional final win Mar. 16 at Ohio Dominican. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Jesse Burris went for 17 points and six rebounds, Jeremiah Russell scored nine of his 14 points in the fourth quarter and Jake Lowman had 12 points and four assists for the Pacers.
“(Orange is a) good team and we knew they weren’t going to go away” Burris said. “So, we had to keep piling it on. It feels good to give (our community) a little something extra. But we’re not done yet. We’ve still got two games to play.”
Dylan Joy had 11 points, Keegan Knupp had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Levi Davis added 10 points.
Brown had five rebounds and three assists and Treyton Schroeder had four assists for Orange, which finished 26-2.
“Obviously, they got hot as a pistol and they were on fire,” Pioneers coach Anthony Calo said. “It was a perfect storm of we weren’t shooting well, guys were in foul trouble, and they got hot. They’re a threat at every position and if you don’t have your normal rotations out there, it makes things difficult.”
Delaware’s Carter Piatt-Brown shoots a three-pointer in front of the Pacers’ student section during a Division I regional final at Ohio Dominican Mar. 16. Photo: John Hulkenberg