BOWLING GREEN – Ottawa-Glandorf truly has not been tested in this season’s postseason tournament.
In fact, the Titans had very little trouble throughout the regular season. O-G was ranked No. 3 in the final Associated Press regular-season poll in Division III.
In Wednesday’s Division III boys basketball regional semifinal at the Stroh Center on the campus of Bowling Green State University, No. 11 Archbold was looking to change all that.
Last season, Archbold made it to the Division III state semifinals, before getting knocked out by Roger Bacon, 68-43. The last time O-G (boys basketball) went to the state tournament was 2013, when it won the Division III state title.
Archbold gave O-G everything it could handle Wednesday night and then some, en route to a 78-68 victory over the Titans.
O-G ends the season 24-2.
Archbold (22-3) takes on No. 10 Columbus Africentric Early College (20-6) in the regional final Saturday at 7 p.m. at BGSU. Africentric defeated Carey (20-7) in Wednesday’s first regional semifinal, 62-40.
Jay Kaufman led Ottawa-Glandorf Wednesday with 25 points. Teammate Owen Hiegle scored 18.
Bryce Williams led Archbold and all scorers with 32 points. Eli Miller (12) and Rigo Ramos (11) also scored in double figures for the Blue Streaks.
O-G got off to a strong start Wednesday night.
A 3-pointer by Kaufman jump-started the Titans, pushing their lead to 9-5 within the first two minutes of the game.
But Archbold kept it close.
Three-pointers by both Williams and Miller kept the Blue Streaks in the hunt.
Kaufman had a big first quarter, scoring seven points to help the Titans slip out to a 14-12 lead by the first stop.
Archbold took a 15-14 lead, less than a minute into the second quarter, on a 3-pointer by Kaiden Bedsole.
O-G battled back, reclaiming the lead momentarily.
However, Archbold responded, taking the lead on two 3-pointers by Williams.
The Blue Streaks led 29-28 at the halftime break.
O-G struggled behind the 3-point line in the first half, connecting on just 1 of 5 of its shots. Archbold connected on 5 of 14 behind the arc.
For the game, O-G shot 40 percent from the field. Archbold shot 52 percent. From behind the arc, O-G made just 1 of 12 on the night. Archbold made 10 of 20 behind the 3-point line.
O-G battled back in the third quarter, taking the lead twice.
However, the Blue Streaks connected five times behind the 3-point line in the third quarter to pull out to a 57-48 lead by the third stop.
Africentric 62, Carey 40
Africentric jumped out quickly on Carey and never looked back, en route to a convincing 22-point victory.
Africentric’s Jah Bennet scored a game-high 21 points, while pulling down seven rebounds. Teammate Tre Baumgardner scored 15 points and dished out five assists.
Cody Luzader led Carey with nine points.
Africentric led 25-15 at the end of the first quarter, and 37-21 at the halftime break.
Africentric shot 55 percent from the field. Carey shot 32 percent.
The taller Africentric squad outrebounded Carey 33-21
Ottawa-Glandorf’s Jay Kaufman drives to the rim against Archbold’s Rigo Ramos (left) and Austin Wiemken on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
http://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2018/03/web1_OG-vs-Archbold-BBB-Regional-Semi-Finals-BGSU-1643-1.jpgOttawa-Glandorf’s Jay Kaufman drives to the rim against Archbold’s Rigo Ramos (left) and Austin Wiemken on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
Ottawa-Glandorf’s Jake Dible shoots a three-point attempt against Archbold on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
http://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2018/03/web1_OG-vs-Archbold-BBB-Regional-Semi-Finals-BGSU-1649-1.jpgOttawa-Glandorf’s Jake Dible shoots a three-point attempt against Archbold on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
Ottawa-Glandorf’s Jay Kaufmanshoots a three-point attempt against Archbold on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
http://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2018/03/web1_OG-vs-Archbold-BBB-Regional-Semi-Finals-BGSU-1657-1.jpgOttawa-Glandorf’s Jay Kaufmanshoots a three-point attempt against Archbold on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
Ottawa-Glandorf’s Ethan White finds room in the paint for a shot attempt against Archbold’s Bryce Williams on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
http://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2018/03/web1_OG-vs-Archbold-BBB-Regional-Semi-Finals-BGSU-1700-1.jpgOttawa-Glandorf’s Ethan White finds room in the paint for a shot attempt against Archbold’s Bryce Williams on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
Ottawa-Glandorf’s Carter Heringhaus shoots a three-point attempt against Archbold on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
http://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2018/03/web1_OG-vs-Archbold-BBB-Regional-Semi-Finals-BGSU-1715-1.jpgOttawa-Glandorf’s Carter Heringhaus shoots a three-point attempt against Archbold on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
Ottawa-Glandorf’s Jay Kaufman performs an acrobatic move in the air to save the ball, get the shot off, and make the basket against Archbold on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
http://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2018/03/web1_OG-vs-Archbold-BBB-Regional-Semi-Finals-BGSU-1729-1.jpgOttawa-Glandorf’s Jay Kaufman performs an acrobatic move in the air to save the ball, get the shot off, and make the basket against Archbold on Wednesday night at the Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center for the Boys Division III Regional Semi-Final.
