Newark boys sink Reynoldsburg at the line

On Jan 28, 2023

NEWARK ― Jimmy Allen Gymnasium is a popular meeting spot for Newark boys basketball players. And that’s before their day even gets started.

It’s time well spent, getting up some extra shots, especially free throws, and it was plenty evident in Friday’s 55-42 Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Division win against visiting Reynoldsburg. The Wildcats (12-5, 5-2) completed a sweep of the Raiders by making a stellar 17-of-20 at the line in the second half for 85 percent, and 22-of-27 overall for 81 percent. The latter mark is also their season average.

“Every morning, before school, we’re in there shooting free throws, and we got in there this morning. It helps us win games,” said junior Ethan Stare, who hit 10-of-12 himself, including nine in his 13-point, third-quarter explosion. He finished with a game-high 16 points and also led Newark with six rebounds.

“We told him, that he would have the opportunity to get to the rim and get to the line in this game, and that’s what he did,” coach Jeff Quackenbush said. “He played one heck of a game.”

But it took Stare and the Wildcats some time to get going. They bolted ahead 9-2, on a pair of 3s by Braylon Morris and another from Grant Burkholder, but the athletic, physical Raiders, a deceptive 7-9, 4-3 against a rugged schedule, then went on a 15-2 run to open a 17-11 lead early in the second period on senior guard Hammond Russell’s third 3-pointer of the game. However, he wouldn’t score again, and fouled out in the third quarter. Two Raiders fouled out, as well as Stare.

A timeout at 7:11 of the second evidently got Newark’s attention. The Wildcats closed out the half on a 17-1 blitz to open a 28-18 lead, and it included a “six-point play.” Freshman Ty Gilbert hit the deck after his 3 from the corner, and had a chance for a four-point play. He missed the free throw, but Drew Oberholtzer secured the rebound and passed to Burkholder, who drilled a 3 from the top of the key. Steele Meister scored six quick points to help fuel the comeback, with a half hook from the paint, a steal and four foul shots. Gilbert also fed Kalen Winbush for a layup.

“During the timeout, it was our leaders. Burk got in our ears and said, ‘we have to get it together,'” Stare said. “We haven’t lost two in a row all year, and we didn’t want it to happen tonight.”

“Coach got on us pretty good, as he should have,” said sophomore Austin Rose, a key role player who contributed four rebounds and a steal in his 21 minutes. “It got our motor going. We had a good week of practice. It was intense. We just keep chopping wood.”

After a quiet first half, Stare took over the game in the third. He scored on a drive and a fadeaway, then dropped in 9-of-10 free throws, including two after a technical foul, as the Wildcats maintained a 41-29 lead going to the fourth. Oberholtzer notched a backdoor layup off Burkholder’s assist in the fourth, then canned four consecutive foul shots as Newark added to its margin.

“Right after the first half, coach Quack pulled me back and said, ‘just relax. They’re playing you up. Fight through contact, finish at the rim or get to the line,” Stare said. “They were playing me on my hip, and I just attacked.”

With three players out, Reynoldsburg was shorter than usual, and tried to make up for it with an aggressive, full-court, trapping defense. It worked, for a while.

“Without three of their big guys, they knew they had to play hard,” Quackenbush said. “In the first quarter, we did not handle their team pressure. Once we settled down, and picked up our defense, we were okay. In the first game, we got to the line and it was kind of similar. But this game was much more physical, and you have to expect that in January and February. Twenty-two of 27 at the line. A lot of credit to our guys.”

Meister, despite sitting the entire third quarter with three fouls, and Burkholder added 10 points apiece for the Wildcats, a solid 14-of-29 from the field for 48 percent including 5-of-9 on 3s. They also controlled the boards 25-20 after limiting Reynoldsburg to just 14-of-39 shooting for 35 percent, including 5-of-21 on 3s, and the Raiders were just 9-of-16 at the stripe for 56 percent.

Rose, who was celebrating his 16th birthday, relishes his role, even though he doesn’t get to take many shots.

“It’s just being that tough guy. We have guys who can score and shoot,” he said. “Being a three-sport athlete, you learn to compete, go up against the guy in front of you. That’s especially what you have to do in this sport. I do my job, and if everyone else does theirs, we’ll win.”

With five games left, the Wildcats will be looking to build some postseason momentum. In addition to three league games, they’ll face tough road tests at Westerville Central and Hilliard Bradley.