Little things add up to big Newark win vs. Gahanna in district semis

On Mar 2, 2023

PATASKALA ― As Ty Gilbert fell backwards against the floor at Watkins Memorial on Wednesday night, it was a familiar feeling.

“We run a lot of drills in practice, where we take charges and do things that don’t involve scoring, and have to get to a certain amount,” the Newark freshman said. “Over time, I’ve gotten used to the physicality and speed of the game.”

In the closing seconds of a Division I district semifinal, Gilbert put the experience to use at an opportune time. With Gahanna playing for a last shot, trailing 39-38, he drew an offensive foul on a player trying to set a screen, and Grant Burkholder hit both ends of a one-and-one, as the 11th-seeded Wildcats (18-7) knocked off the sixth-seeded Lions 41-38 for a berth in their ninth district final in the last 12 years. They’ll play second seed Olentangy Liberty (21-3), which survived Dublin Coffman 35-33, at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ohio Dominican for a regional berth.

“I knew he was going to push, and I kind of baited him,” Gilbert explained.

“It was a gutsy play, the kind of play that the coaches instill in us, and Ty has really grown into his role,” added junior Steele Meister, who made a big play of his own earlier, when he turned a midcourt steal into a layup with 54 seconds left, giving Newark a 39-35 lead. But Luke Murry drilled a 3 from the left wing for the Lions (19-5), making it 39-38, and the Wildcats missed a one-and-one to set up an exciting finish.

“We haven’t played them in seven years, and it felt like one of the games we had with them in the (Ohio Capital Conference) Ohio Division,” coach Jeff Quackenbush said. “It always came down to one or two possessions, and we talk all the time about how important possessions are. Getting rebounds and loose balls, taking charges. Early in the fourth quarter, Austin Rose dove hard after a loose ball and got us a possession.”

Newark never trailed after midway through the second quarter, when Burkholder sank two foul shots, Braylon Morris cashed in a 3 from the top of the key and Burkholder scored on a floater, pushing the Wildcats up 20-14. But in a sign of things to come, the Wildcats could never shake the athletic Lions, who fought back for a 20-20 halftime tie.

Meister and Burkholder each had a pair of baskets in an 8-0 run starting the second half for a 28-20 lead, but Nasir Turner made a 3 for Gahanna. Newark went ahead 37-30 with 4:53 left on a Morris 3 from the left baseline, but Xavier Rogers connected on a 3 from the right wing, Brandon Ivery had a rebound bucket and the Wildcats turned the ball over, up 37-35. That’s when Meister came up with his clutch steal and score.

“I kind of saw how he was being shaky with the ball, and I just tried to make a play,” he said. “But it was the slowest transition of all time” as he worked his way to the basket.

Last year’s 61-38 loss to Upper Arlington, on the same Watkins floor in the district semifinals, was firmly ingrained in Newark’s minds and served as motivation for Wednesday.

“It seems like just yesterday that we came here and Upper Arlington did whatever they wanted against us,” Quackenbush said. “It left a sour taste in our mouths, because that wasn’t us,” said Meister. “We came back here for revenge.”

Burkholder scored 16 points and Meister added 12, to go with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals for the Wildcats, an excellent 17-of-31 from the field for 54 percent. Morris made all three of Newark’s 3-pointers for nine points. Rogers hit a trio of 3s for nine points to lead Gahanna, but no Lion cracked double figures and the Wildcats held them to 42 percent shooting (15-of-35), although they did make six 3s. However, Newark owned a 20-12 margin on the backboards.