Maumee Valley utilized a smothering defense to jump all over visiting Ottawa Hills early in a Toledo Area Athletic Conference boys basketball game on Friday night.

The Hawks flew out to a 24-15 lead after the first quarter and never looked back in posting a 51-39 win over the Green Bears.

A standing-room-only crowd of about 400 packed Maumee Valley's tight gym and provided plenty of noise in a key early-season conference game.

PHOTO GALLERY: Maumee Valley vs. Ottawa Hills

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Maumee Valley senior guard Rick Deichert scored eight of his game-high 16 points in the second quarter when the Hawks expanded their lead to 12 points going into the half.

Maumee Valley's Julius Turner and Jared Sturt, who each finished with 13 points, played key roles in building the lead in the opening quarter. Turner scored 11 of his points, and Sturt scored eight of his points in the first quarter.

Lucas Janowicz paced Ottawa Hills with 12 points, while Geoffrey Beans chipped in with 10 points.

Maumee Valley, the preseason favorite to win the league, improved to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the TAAC. Ottawa Hills, the defending champs, fell to 2-2 and 0-2 in league play.

"We knew we had to come in here and protect this house. We did a good job of that," Deichert said. "It's huge. After we lost that game last Friday [a 46-43 loss to Gibsonburg in the TAAC opener] we knew we had two big games this week. We got a win at TC [43-42] on Tuesday and now we got this one tonight."

The Hawks forced 22 turnovers in the game.

"We had 12 turnovers in the first half alone, and we haven't had more than that in our first three games," Ottawa Hills coach John Lindsay said. "They did a nice job defensively."

Maumee Valley trailed 11-7 early in the game but the Hawks went on an 11-0 run to take the lead for good.

The Hawks scored six points directly off of turnovers during the charge. Turner stole the ball and took it the length of the court for a layup that made it 18-11. Turner then drilled a 3-pointer, and Deichert knocked down another 3-pointer right before the first-quarter buzzer to cap a 17-4 spurt.

"We were very good defensively," Maumee Valley coach Jim Robinson said. "We scored 24 points in the first quarter and some of that came from our defense. Offensively, we played very well against the zone. We hit 3s, and we built a lead with a great first quarter."

When the Green Bears pulled back within six early in the second quarter, Deichert answered with a 3-pointer. The Ottawa Hills student section then jeered Deichert every time he touched the ball. He responded by hitting another 3-pointer to give the Hawks' a 33-23 lead with 2:12 left in the first half.

"It was fun. I know a couple of them over there. I can't take them too seriously. It really motivates me," Deichert said.

Maumee Valley went up by 13 on Deichert's laup with 3:44 left in the third quarter. But Ottawa Hills rallied with a 7-0 run to make it 40-35. Janowicz started the charge with a bucket inside and then Beans followed that with back-to-back three-point plays.

"When you see a 13-point lead go down to five, it's shaky," Robinson said. "They never quit. But tonight our kids had the answer."

Maumee Valley then slowed the pace and took time off the clock in the fourth quarter. The Hawks reestablished a nine-point lead with a 6-0 run over the end of the third and start of the fourth.

Maumee Valley converted on 9 of 11 free throws in the final quarter and held the Green Bears to four points.

Gibsonburg (4-0) remains atop the TAAC standings with a 3-0 record after the Golden Bears beat Toledo Christian 57-53 on Friday.

"This is the most talent I have ever seen in the league top to bottom," said Lindsay, who is in his 17th season in the TAAC. "There will be a lot of close games every Tuesday and Friday night."

Robinson, whose Hawks are seeking their first TAAC title since 2002, said he believes a team can only suffer two losses to have a chance at winning the conference this season.

"This game meant our destiny is in our hands," he said. "Wasn't this [atmosphere] great? I'm so proud of this school. They've come alive here."

Contact Mark Monroe at: mmonroe@theblade.com, 419-724-6354, or on Twitter @MonroeBlade.