LIMA – Ottawa Glandorf jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead and never looked back as they downed Liberty Benton 63-32 in the Lima Senior district semifinals matchup between the two schools.
Carson Fuka put the Titans on top 3-0 on the first possession of the contest with the first of his three triples in the game and aided teammates Colin White, Carter Schimmoeller, and Eli Schmenk in running the lead quickly to 12-0 before an Eagles timeout.
Following the timeout the WBL champions continued their offensive onslaught on baskets again by White on a jumper and a steal of the ensuing inbound play and eventually a make by junior Theo Maag with 3:32 left to take a 21-0 lead.
Liberty Benton reached the scoreboard for the first time in the game with 3:19 showing on the clock on a basket by Kameron Garlock to trim the deficit to 21-2. Over the course of the final three minutes the Eagles were able to outscore the Titans 10-4 to pull within 25-10 at the first period buzzer.
Four three pointers scorched the bottom of the next in the second stanza for the Titans from the hands of Carson Fuka, Caleb Kuhlman and Colin White to account for 22 points over the eight minute span led by Kuhlman who accounted for all seven of his evenings markers in the stanza.
Lincoln Garlock bookended a scoring drought for Liberty Benton, first with a triple at 6:11 to go and finally with just 40.9 remaining to push within 45-14.
Working with a running clock to open the third quarter the Titans scored just three times from the field with two coming on long distance makes by Eli Schmenk while holding their opponents to just a pair of field goals to lead 56-20 heading to the final stanza.
Junior Cason Doolittle, a 1st team Blanchard Valley Conference selection for the Eagles, held to five through the opening three quarters notched his last basket in the fourth and helped set up a three by Jake Gerken moments later.
Ottawa Glandorf finished off their victory with scores from bench players Ty Buckland and Levi Unterbrink to secure a spot in Saturday’s district finals.
Liberty Benton (18-7) was paced by seven from Doolittle while the Titans (21-2) were led by Colin White’s 15. Joining White in double figures were Eli Schmenk (12), and Carson Fuka (11).
Next up for Ottawa Glandorf is 22-2 Wayne Trace who defeated Bluffton 45-42 in the nightcap.
Scoring:
OG (63):
Carson Fuka 11
Carter Schimmoeller 5
Ty Buckland 3
Caleb Kuhlman 7
Levi Unterbrink 2
Eli Schmenk 12
Caden Erford 2
Colin White 15
Theo Maag 6
FT: 1/1
3PT: 10 (Fuka 3, White 2, Schmenk 2, Buckland, Schimmoeller, Kuhlman)
Liberty Benton (32):
Kameron Garlock 6
Malik Eckford 5
Cason Doolittle 7
Jake Gerken 3
Lincoln Garlock 4
Toby Collert 2
Joe Gerken 5
FT: 7/9
3PT: 2 (Joe Gerken, Lincoln Garlock)