Crestview ends Van Wert’s winning streak

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Kalen Etzler and Carson Kreischer combined for 34 points and Crestview was able to hold Van Wert at bay in a 54-48 win at the Cougar’s Den on Tuesday night.

The victory by the Knights (15-5) snapped Van Wert’s six game winning streak, dropping the Cougars to 7-10.

The Knights jumped out to a 13-4 first quarter lead but seven unanswered points by Van Wert, including a triple by Connor Pratt, cut the deficit to 13-11 before Gavin Etzler scored to make it 15-11 at the end of the period.

It looked like Crestview was ready to pull away in the second quarter. Buckets by Carson Hunter, Kreischer and Kalen Etzler put the Knights ahead 25-16, but Aidan Pratt kept Van Wert in the game with three consecutive treys.

“We were doing some different things, trying to make different looks for (Owen) Treece tonight and Pratt stepped up and hit some big threes for them,” Crestview head coach Doug Etzler said. “I was glad we continued to compete…we didn’t let those threes get us down.”

“Our guys are resilient and they did a good job of coming back and making it a two possession game,” Van Wert head coach Ben Laudick said. “I’m not disappointed in our effort but I was disappointed with a few things we did in the first half defensively. But I’m happy with the resiliency of our guys.”

Kreischer capped off a 12-point second quarter by beating the halftime buzzer with a short basket that gave the Knights a 31-25 lead.

Late in the third quarter, a triple by Treece pulled Van Wert to within two, 37-35, but Crestview responded with a running jumper by Hunter and a deep trey by Etzler to beat the buzzer. It would be the final basket of the game by Crestview, but the Knights connected on 12-of-18 free throws in the final period to secure the win.

“It was huge,” coach Etzler said of the trey. “It separated us by three more points and gave us a little more cushion. You want to be efficient but it gives you a bit more room if you don’t score on offense. We missed some free throws tonight but that cushion helped us down the stretch.”

“The one right before the half was a tough one but the 30-footer that Kalen made at the end of the third quarter – I don’t want to say it was the dagger but at the same time we knew it was something that was going to be very difficult to come back against,” Laudick said.

Treece scored seven of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, including a late trey that made it 52-48. Aidan Pratt finished with 17 points and the Cougars were 19-of-44 from the floor and 3-of-3 from the foul line with 18 rebounds and nine turnovers.

Etzler finished with 18 points and Kreischer added 16. The Knights were 20-of-38 shooting with 20 rebounds and 11 turnovers.

Van Wert will host Bath on Friday and Crestview will travel to Paulding the same night.

Scoring summary

Van Wert 11 14 10 13 – 48
Crestview 15 16 11 12 – 52

Van Wert: Ethan Brown 1-0-2; Owen Treece 6-3-19; Garett Gunter 1-0-2; Aidan Pratt 7-0-17; Nate Jackson 2-0-5; Connor Pratt 1-0-3

Crestview: Kalen Etzler 7-2-18; Rontae Jackson 0-4-4; Gavin Etzler 1-2-4; Carson Hunter 3-0-6; Brody Brecht 2-2-6; Carson Kreischer 7-2-16

JV: Van Wert 55-38