Ottoville junior Scott Pohlman (23) looks over the Crestview defense during the Big Green's sectional final Friday night.
Ottoville defeats Crestview BY KIRK DOUGAL
Brown Publishing Correspondent
VAN WERT - Ottoville took on every run that Crestview threw at them on Friday night in their sectional final contest but the Big Green pulled away late in the fourth quarter to win, 43-38.
Defense was at the forefront at the beginning of the game as both teams struggled to score. Center Alex Altenburger scored first for Ottoville with a put back at the 5:37 mark but Crestview had to wait all the way until the midpoint of the quarter when Nick Adam came off the bench and made a 12-footer on his first trip down the court. Rob Cook followed that up with a dunk after the Knights broke Ottoville's 1-3-1 full court press. But the Big Green's Scott Pohlman kept his team in the game with a trey and a drive. At the end of one, Ottoville led, 11-9.
The Big Green found their rhythm and their shots began falling in the second period. Altenburger scored twice in the paint and Pohlman hit a bucket on a dribble-drive but it was Jordan Schimmoeller's three-pointer that was almost a dagger to the Knights. But when Ottoville missed a free throw with only seconds left, Crestview's Brad Miller grabbed the rebound, threw the outlet to Conley Zaleski who then gave it back on the secondary break. Miller scored on the layup at the buzzer and Crestview had cut into the lead by one, trailing by only 22-21.
Despite the close score, Crestview was having rebounding problems with Rob Cook on the bench with foul troubles. Ottoville dominated the boards in the first half, 17-10, and many of those were on the offensive end, giving the Big Green multiple opportunities to score.
Cook started the scoring in the second half with a drop step off the left block and then Steven Rickard hit a 10-foot floater on the baseline - both off of Ottoville turnovers. That forced Big Green coach Tom Von Sossan to call timeout with Crestview leading, 25-22. But right out of the break Nathan Turnwald hit a three in the right corner and the game was tied. From there they traded buckets until the buzzer with Ottoville leading by only two points, 31-29.
Again the two teams traded points as the fourth quarter began until the Knights' Adam hit a free throw for a 36-35 Crestview lead. Von Sossan had Altenburger and Turnwald playing inside/outside isolation, however, and Turnwald finally got loose for another trey with only a little more than a minute left in the contest.
Crestview coach Jeremy Best set his offensive play and the Knights got an open look at the rim but the ball rolled out and it was Evan Vining, Crestview's only senior, who went up strong and grabbed the rebound. It looked Crestview would still be able to tie the game but in flew Altenburger who slammed the shot away. From there it was free throws for Ottoville to put the game on ice.
Crestview was led by Nick Adam's 11 points off the bench and Brad Miller's seven rebounds. Ottoville received 12 points from both Nathan Turnwald and Scott Pohlman and ten rebounds from Alex Altenburger.
"Ads published on this site are not for republication in print or web media without the expressed written consent of both the advertiser and The Brown Publishing Company."
