CONVOY — It was like two games within one. Maybe three.
Lima Central Catholic’s 71-58 win over Crestview in boys basketball on Friday night had streaks and runs and ups and downs for both teams.
Anyone who watched only the first 4 ½ minutes and the last 5 ½ minutes would have thought it was a one-sided game because LCC outscored the Knights 30-4 at the start of the game and the end of the game.
But anyone who watched only the middle part of the game would have said it was much closer than the final score indicated.
The Thunderbirds, 12-0 and the No. 1-ranked Division III team in the state, had a struggle on their hands with Crestview (9-3) on the Knights’ home court.
Tre Cobbs scored a career-high 28 points to lead LCC. Dantez Walton (16 points), Nick Taflinger (12 points) and Josh Dixon (11 points) also scored in double figures. Connor Lautzenheiser’s 27 points led Crestview and Javin Etzler had 11 points.
“I knew it was going to be a grind. You walk in here you get a fundamental, disciplined basketball team with some youth,” LCC coach Frank Kill said. “Give a lot of credit to our seniors for sticking together. Down the stretch that’s what a senior-led team does.”
LCC opened up a 12-0 lead to start the game, but had to back off its defensive pressure when Cobbs and Walton both picked up two fouls in the first quarter and Cobbs got his third two minutes before halftime.
Crestview, ranked No. 5 in Division IV, took full advantage of that, got its crowd into the game and was within three points, 29-26, by halftime.
LCC extended the lead to 50-42 after three quarters and went up 53-44 a minute into the fourth quarter.
But Crestview got a huge momentum swing when Cobbs picked up his fourth foul with 6:47 left in the game and Crestview scored eight points without ever letting LCC take possession of the ball.
Lautzenheiser started it with a drive for a score and was fouled. Kill was slapped with a technical foul on the play and Lautzenheiser hit three free throws to make it 53-49. Then, on the following possession, he hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 53-52.
The Knights went up 55-54 when Drew Cline drove for a basket with 5:41 to play. But LCC regained the lead on a drive to the hoop by Dixon and never trailed again.
“It lifted the lid off the whole place,” Crestview coach Jeremy Best said about the eight-point sequence.
Dixon said, “It was like a state environment. Guys came off the bench and provided energy and we just had to play through it until we got those guys (Walton and Cobbs) back in there.”
When Cobbs got his fourth foul, he told Kill he could play through it and not pick up his fifth. He scored 12 of LCC’s final 18 points after picking up No. 4.
“I just knew I could play through four fouls. I knew I could handle myself. Coach trusted me and he left me in. As a senior, I’ve got more responsibility,” he said.
Crestview played without point guard Cody Mefferd, who has missed several games with a concussion.
Four freshmen got significant minutes and combined for 26 of the Knights’ 58 points.
“Athletically, they’re better than we are, they’re better than a lot of teams they play. But I thought we had them on their heels at times,” Best said.
“Our kids hung in there. We came back and did it our way. We’re learning. We had the resolve to come back on two occasions. But there are no consolation prizes. This isn’t the Y league. But we’re going to grow from this,” he said.
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