Ottawa-Glandorf wins D-III crown; Leipsic falls

3/24/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ottawa-Glandorf's T.J. Metzger (32) scored 36 points including nine 3-pointers.
Ottawa-Glandorf's T.J. Metzger (32) scored 36 points including nine 3-pointers.

COLUMBUS — Of all the 3-point shot T.J. Metzger made Saturday, and there were a record-tying nine of them, the one with just under two minutes to play in the third quarter may have been the biggest for Ottawa-Glandorf.

Versailles had just run off seven straight points to pull to within 10 but Metzger stopped the threat and started the Titans on a 20-3 run that led to a 67-46 victory in the Division III boys basketball final at the state tournament at Ohio State's Value City Arena.

Metzger tied the all-divisions record for 3-pointers in a championship game and equaled the Division III scoring record with 36 points before going to the bench with 2:06 remaining.

The All-Ohio first-team selection was 11 for 17 from the floor, including 9 for 14 on 3-pointers, to tie the mark for treys set by Lima Senior's Demond Lyles in 1992.

He equaled the 36 points by J.T. Hoyng of Sparta Highland in 1998 as the Titans (26-3) won their first title since 2008 and third overall.

If that wasn't enough, he made all five free throws and hit treys at the buzzer to end the first and third quarters.

The game was better than he could have imagined.

"I have a basketball rim in my backyard," he said. "When I was seven I'd go to my brother, 'This is for the state championship right here.' Then I'd miss it. It was a different story today."

Kyle Ahrens had 12 points for Versailles (23-6), who matched its runner-up finish in 2004.

Metzger put on a spectacular shooting performance in the first half to lead Ottawa-Glandorf (26-3) to a 35-20 lead, outscoring the Tigers by six by himself.

"He was in a rhythm," Ottawa-Glandorf coach Tyson McGlaughlin said. "Feed the hot hand. There's no need to reinvent the wheel."

Metzger had 18 points in the first quarter when he hit 6 of 7 shots, including 5 for 6 from three-point range. He capped the period with a fade-away jumper as the clock reached zeroes for a 24-11 advantage.

It wasn't a bad start considering he averages 16.9 points per game.

"I didn't expect to come out that hot," Metzger said.


DIVISION II

COL. WATTERSON 55,AKRON SVSM 52

Cody Calhoun and Matt Hughes each had 14 points as Columbus Bishop Watterson won the Division II title.

Calhoun made two free throws in the final 40 seconds to put the Eagles up 54-52 and Tommy Geraghty added a foul shot with 11.7 seconds to play.

Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (20-10) went for the tie with four seconds left. But Fransohn Bickley missed a 3-pointer. Nick Wells got the rebound, but Andy Grieser grabbed the ball as he tried to set up another try from beyond the arc. It was the first state tournament for Watterson (28-1).

Jalen Hudson had 17 points for SVSM.


DIVISION IV

CLEVELAND VASJ 87, LEIPSIC 63

Duane Gibson Jr. led five Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph scorers in double figures with 22 points as the Vikings won the Division IV final.

VA-SJ won its fifth title, the first since a stretch of four titles in five years ended in1995.

Leipsic (25-5), who last appeared in the tournament in 1925, trailed 44-39 five minutes into the third quarter before Villa Angela-St. Joseph went on a 26-11 run to lead 70-50 with six minutes left.

Brian Parker and Demonte Flannigan had 15 points, Simon Texidor 11 and Carlton Bragg 10 for VASJ.

Devin Mangas led Leipsic with 18 points.

Villa Angela threatened to run away early by taking a 20-9 lead. Leipsic recovered after shooting 5-of-15 in the first quarter and got within 24-21 by the four-minute mark of the second before VASJ pulled away for a 40-32 advantage.

"They're athleticism and height caused us problems," Leipsic coach Scott Maag said. "They got some easy looks at the basket. They seemed to get every offensive rebound."