LEIPSIC – Leipsic honored its second Hall of Fame class before the game.
And for a half, the Vikings gave the honorees plenty to watch by battling with Kalida.
Kalida then slammed down the defensive clamps in the third quarter and pulled away with a 42-28 win over Leipsic in a Putnam County League boys basketball game Saturday at Leipsic.
Kalida went on a 14-0 run to close the third quarter and that was that. The only thing left was for the honorees to shake hands and head for home.
“Defensively, we locked in with our man,” Kalida coach Ryan Stechschulte said. “We really dialed in as far as what their personnel could and couldn’t do. I think our length caused some problems. And with live-ball turnovers, we’re going to get out and go. We did a good job of converting them.’’
The Wildcats, down 23-20 at the time, gobbled up five quick turnovers and converted most of those into fast-break layups.
By the time the run was over, Kalida had taken a 34-23 lead to close the third.
Kalida made nine baskets in the second half, with eight coming on layups. Many of those came off the break.
“We always try to play from the inside-out and try to establish the paint first,” Stechschulte said.
Kalida took the lead to stay 25-23 on a layup by Luke Erhart.
Josh Klausing then scored off a fast-break layup. Klausing then zeroed in on a 3-pointer and the Kalida lead bounced to 30-23 with 1:06 left in the third quarter.
Kalida also dropped its press in the second half and guarded halfcourt man.
“We wanted to get the matchups we really liked, defensively, so we sat down in the halfcourt and guarded them,” Stechschulte said.
Kalida is 12-3, 3-1 in the PCL. Leipsic is 6-8, 1-4 in the PCL.
“They turned up the pressure on us and I think we lost a little confidence and let it compound,” Leipsic coach Chris Kuhlman said. “We talk about we have to have someone pick us up and not put your head down and I think we put our head down and let that pressure get to us. We couldn’t get out of the third quarter. And it did (snowballed).’’
Kalida freshman Erhart had 11 points and seven rebounds. Trevor Lambert added 10 points. Grant Laudick scored eight.
Quintin Bruce led Leipsic with seven points. Tyler Hiegel scored six.
Braydon Niese had five points and five rebounds.
Reese Mangas, a 6-foot-8 junior, had four points and five boards.
The first half went back-and-forth with nine lead changes, including the final six possessions of the first half.
Kalida led 9-6 after the first quarter.
Leipsic led 21-20 at the half.
But after the guitar-rocking Leipsic pep finished at halftime, Kalida took charge of the remainder of the night.
Kalida won the boards 31-23.
Kalida shot 50 percent from the field and was 1 of 8 on 3-pointers.
Leipsic shot 38 percent and was 2 of 15 on 3-pointers.
Kalida has now won 10 of 11.
“There’s a lot to like about our group,” Stechschulte said. “Defensively, I think we’re very good. We weren’t sharp, offensively tonight, but defense travels.’’
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