Boys Basketball: Lowman finds comfort zone; leads Delaware Hayes to 1st regional title game
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Delaware’s Jake Lowman looks to pass against Hilliard Bradley in a Division I regional semifinal March 13 at Ohio Dominican. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Jake Lowman feels awfully comfortable at Ohio Dominican’s Alumni Hall. The senior guard hit three 3-pointers in the first half to help the Delaware Hayes boys basketball team seize control in a 56-40 win over Hilliard Bradley.
Lowman ended up with 17 points to lead the Pacers in the regional semifinal game on March 13. But he’ll be the first to say that his freedom comes from teammates Jesse Burris and Landon Vanderwarker and their ability to score in bunches.
“I don’t know what it is – those rims are nice,” said Lowman, who had three assists and three rebounds to lead the Pacers. “Jesse and Landon have been scoring the ball well all season. I knew going into the playoffs that they’re going to be playing defense heavy on those guys. So, I’m like a secret weapon, basically.”
Delaware advances to the regional final round for the first time in program history. There, the Pacers see a familiar Delaware County rival in Olentangy Orange, which won a district final meeting between the two last year. The rematch is Saturday at 7 p.m. back at Alumni Hall.
Delaware’s Landon Vanderwarker drives to the basket against Hilliard Bradley during the Pacers’ Division I regional semifinal win March 13 at Ohio Dominican. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Lowman had 18 points to help the Pacers win their first district title since 1986 on March 9, also at Ohio Dominican. He’s played so well in the facility, it’s earned him a new nickname.
“Our student section coined the term, ‘Playoff Jake,’” said Burris, a senior forward. “In the first half, I could tell they were trying to take me … and Landon (away). I look over at Jake, and it’s like, you can’t just guard me and Landon, you’ve got to guard our whole team.”
Lowman connected on three 3-pointers in the first half and finished with a team-best 17 points for the Pacers, who improved to 26-1. His second 3 of the game came off a Jeremiah Russell assist and gave Delaware a 16-13 lead with 5 minutes, 18 seconds left in the first half.
Burris, who had 15 points, nine rebounds and a pair of blocks, followed with an and-1 and the Pacers never trailed again.
Delaware’s Jeremiah Russell defends against Hilliard Bradley in a Division I regional semifinal March 13 at Ohio Dominican. Photo: John Hulkenberg
“It’s hard to do what you want to do against (Bradley’s defense),” Delaware coach Adam Vincenzo said. “In games like this, we’ve got guys that want to go make plays. I don’t want to hold them back – just go make plays and be fearless and be us. That’s kinda how we approached the second half there.”
Delaware, which won the rebounding battle 35-20, pushed the lead as high as 18 late in the fourth quarter.
Carter Piatt-Brown had 11 points, Russell added seven points, four rebounds and three assists and Landon Vanderwarker had seven rebounds but was held to four points.
Playing in his final game, Cade Norris went for 22 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists to lead the Jaguars, who finished 21-6. Andrew Lamb had four rebounds and Jeb Bischoff had three assists.
“They physically dominated us,” Bradley coach Brett Norris said. “Just their physicality and our inability to match that. I felt like they cashed in on what must have been a huge rebounding margin at the rim, kicked it out and hit 3s. They’re a challenge. For us, just in preparation, we were trying to figure out how we wanted to match.”
Delaware coach Adam Vincenzo eyes the scoreboard while his team reacts to a made three-pointer against Hilliard Bradley March 13 at Ohio Dominican. Photo: John Hulkenberg
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