Boys Basketball: Big Walnut makes league statement with win over Irish
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
By Jarrod Ulrey
julrey@cbussports.com
Big Walnut coach Brett Bartlett communicates during the Eagles’ win over Dublin Scioto on Jan. 9 at Big Walnut. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Senior post player Tommy Campana understands how he and the members of the Big Walnut boys basketball team are perceived by their opponents.
The last time the Golden Eagles found themselves in the thick of a league championship race was during the 2018-19 season when they wound up third in the OCC-Capital Division. That season also marked the first time since 1999-2000 that they’d enjoyed a 15-win season.
Performances like the one Big Walnut put together during a 64-51 win Tuesday at home against Dublin Scioto, along with how well it has competed against some of the league’s other title contenders, should have central Ohio on alert regarding its potential over the regular season’s final few weeks.
The Eagles are 8-3 overall and 4-2 in the league, with their only OCC-Capital losses coming to Delaware Hayes (64-55 on Dec. 8) and Westerville North (60-57 on Jan. 5).
“I don’t really know where to place us right now, but we can beat anybody,” the 6-foot-8 Campana said. “I don’t think anybody thought we would come within three points against Westerville North, so I think if we play right as a team, we can (compete) against anybody.”
Scioto has been one of the area’s breakout teams at 8-3 overall but sits at 3-3 in the OCC-Capital and is temporarily without one of its top players.
Big Walnut’s Brody Hatfield shoots over Dublin Scioto’s Isiah Pearson during the Eagles’ win Jan. 9 at Big Walnut. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Kaden Haywood, a 6-4 senior who has been receiving interest from small colleges, went down with a knee sprain during the Irish’s 86-64 loss to Delaware on Jan. 5. He’s also expected to miss Scioto’s game Jan. 12 at home against Westerville North but could return next week according to coach Tony Anderson.
“The biggest thing from tonight’s game was that we competed,” Anderson said. “Being down Kaden, who’s one of our better rebounders, and playing really small with essentially one person only who is over 6-0, and going against their frontline, I thought we competed as hard as we could. I was really, really proud of that. We came up short, but it wasn’t for lack of effort.”
Sophomore guard Brody Hatfield scored six first-quarter for the Eagles as they built a 14-9 lead, but Scioto answered with a 7-0 run that featured a 3-pointer from junior guard Aaron Foster and a basket by senior forward Winsten Lomax.
Senior Conor Watters hit a pair of 3-pointers in the second quarter, including one with three seconds left to give his team a 32-27 lead heading into the break.
Watters, who went on to finish with eight points, missed most of December with an injury.
“We’ve got to finish games better,” Watters said. “We played into overtime with Delaware and had a three-point loss to North. Those would have been two wins that would have put us really high up in the rankings. I was injured for the first four or five games, and am just now getting back into it. When we do our best, we’re as unselfish as possible.”
Big Walnut’s Trent Minor puts up a shot over Dublin Scioto’s Winston Lomax during the Eagles’ win Jan. 9 at Big Walnut. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Senior Trent Minor, who averages 16 points, scored eight in the third quarter to help the Eagles increase their lead to 47-38.
Scioto got back-to-back 3-pointers from senior guard Evan Brown to cut what had been a 15-point deficit to 57-46 with 2:40 remaining, but the Irish never got closer than 11 during the game’s remainder.
“We were very consistent on offense, and we all did a great job of sharing the ball,” Campana said. “Our defense could have been a little bit better, but overall, our offense did a good job the entire game. Sometimes people run a 2-3 (zone defense) and I’m either scoring or throwing it out to different teammates. A lot of times, it’s Trent scoring most of the points, but I think we’re at our best when we’re distributing the scoring.”
Minor finished with 15 points, Hatfield scored 14, Campana scored 12, and sophomore Owen Pollock added six off the bench for the Eagles, who continue league play Jan. 12 at Canal Winchester.
“(Scioto was) 8-2 (heading into the game) for a reason (and) it puts us in second place behind North and Hayes,” Big Walnut coach Brett Bartlett said. “Especially with us coming off a tough loss to Westerville North on Friday in a packed gym, I like the direction of where our team is headed. (Haywood) is a great player for them, but those other kids did a great job and made shots, and those coaches are doing a great job. It’s a great win for us.
“We had some careless turnovers tonight and were a little lazy on defense, and I don’t think we were physically tough on the glass. All of those things are things we can fix. These kids are gym rats, they work hard, they’re fun to coach, and that’s what our expectation is.”
Foster finished with 16 points and Lomax added 14 to lead Scioto.
“(Foster has) grown a ton in these last five or six games,” Anderson said. “He’s taken ownership of the team and has been a dog on defense, just being on the ball.”
Dublin Scioto’s Aaron Foster drives to the basket against Big Walnut on Jan. 9 at Big Walnut. Photo: John Hulkenberg