VW overcomes slow start for tourney win

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

ADA – The Van Wert Cougars had about as bad a quarter as possible to start their Division II district semifinal game Wednesday at Ohio Northern University.

But the Cougars showed maturity and poise as they ratcheted down the defense and used their advantage in quickness to defeat Fostoria 63-36 and advance to a showdown against Western Buckeye League rival Celina on Saturday in the district finals. With the win, Van Wert is now 18-4 on the year, while the Redmen end their season at 8-14.

The Cougars looked rattled in the first quarter, turning the ball over a number of times and making bad shot selections. But after trailing 11-5 at the end of the first period, Van Wert started to get its game in gear, using traps and man-to-man pressure to force Fostoria into turnovers, which the Cougars then converted into points at the other end of the floor.

Van Wert led 21-13 at the half and never trailed after that, going on to lead 46-23 at the end of the third quarter before again outpointing the Redmen in the final stanza, 16-13, for the win.

Corey Clifton led the Cougars, who had three players in double figures on the night. Clifton scored 14 points, while Jacob Myers had 12 points and Reggie Phillips added 10. Fostoria’s highest scoring player was Brandon Glenn, who had 7 points on the night, while Isaac Tyson added 6 for the Redmen.

Neither team shot well from beyond the arc, with Van Wert hitting 3 of 14 three-point attempts (21.4 percent), while the Redmen were 2 of 12 from three-point range (16.7 percent). Once the Cougars got their opportunistic offense going, they were unstoppable. Van Wert hit 20 of 36 two-point attempts (55.6 percent) and scored 32 points in the paint, compared to 8 for Fostoria. Using its pressure defense to create points off the transition, the Cougars scored 22 points off turnovers, compared to just 8 for the Redmen and canned 10 points off the fast break, while Fostoria had no fast-break points.

Although it’s not always the team’s strong suit, Van Wert excelled in rebounding against the Redmen, bringing down 44 boards to 28 for Fostoria. Both teams had 20 turnovers, with the Cougars getting most of their miscues in the first quarter.

Van Wert will now play the Bulldogs (19-3), which won the WBL this year and earned a berth in the district finals with a 62-46 victory Wednesday over Tiffin Columbian.

The Cougars, which lost to Celina 60-57 in overtime in league play during the regular season, are hoping for revenge in the district finals. The game will begin at 7 p.m. at Ohio Northern (click here for more basketball photos).

Tickets for the game will go on sale today, from 7:45-10 a.m. for team members, and at noon for high school and middle school students. Season ticketholders can purchase tournament tickets from 5-6:30 p.m. All those ticket sales are in the district athletic office.

For the general public, tickets will be sold at Derry Drugs all day Friday and until noon on Saturday.

Also Wednesday, Ottawa-Glandorf downed Delphos Jefferson 85-41 in a Division III district semifinal game played at Elida.