Cougars, Knights to play for Tip-Off title

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

The Van Wert Cougars and Crestview Knights earned the right to play in the Van Wert County Hospital Tip-Off Tournament championship game tonight with wins Friday night. The Cougars downed Wayne Trace 54-45, while the Knights used a big third quarter to outlast Lincolnview 43-33.

Crestview and Lincolnview met in the first game of the tournament, held in the VWHS gymnasium, and the Knights got off to a fast start, leading 11-4 at the end of the first quarter. The Lancers got that advantage by one, outscoring Crestview 8-7 in the second quarter to trail by six, 18-12, at the half.

Lincolnview put more pressure on the Knights in the third quarter, outscoring Crestview 11-8 to trail by a three-pointer, 26-23, heading into the final period.

But the Knights were up to the challenge, saving their best for last with a 17-point offensive blitz that buried the Lancers, who were held to 10 points in the quarter.

The Knights had two players in double figures on the night: Nick Adam scored 12 points to lead Crestview, while Cameron Etzler added 11 points for the victors. Lincolnview also had two scorers in double-figures, with Clayton Longstreth leading the Lancers with 12 points and Kyle Williams adding 10 points.

Statistically, the Knights were 2 of 13 from three-point distance (15.4 percent) and hit 11 of 19 two-point attempts (57.9 percent). Crestview also made 15 of 21 free throw attempts (71.4 percent). Lincolnview was 1 of 10 from long distance (10 percent), hit 10 of 25 of its two-pointers (40 percent) and was 12 of 20 from the line (60 percent).

Crestview dominated on the boards, bringing down 27 rebounds to 18 for the Lancers, while both teams had 11 turnovers in the game.

In the second game of the night, Van Wert struggled a bit offensively in its first outing of the season against the Raiders. The Cougars led by three, 17-14, at the end of the first quarter, but were outscored 12-10 by Wayne Trace in the second stanza and held only a slim one-point lead, 27-26, at halftime.

Van Wert managed to outscore the Raiders 27-19 in the second half for the final margin of victory.

Wayne Trace was hot in the first half at the line, knocking down 10 of 14 free-throw attempts to keep in the game. In the second half, though, the Cougars put on more defensive pressure and the Raiders felt it, hitting just 4 of 14 two-point attempts in the half.

Van Wert was led by a 25-point performance from Jacob Myers — the only Cougar in double figures — although Reggie Phillips and Joe Moonshower both added 8 points for Van Wert. The Raiders were more balanced, offensively, with Corbin Linder leading Wayne Trace with 12 points and Grady Gudakunst, Austin Speice, Ryan Kortokrax and Dalton Sinn also adding 8 points for the Raiders.

Statistically, Van Wert was 17 of 33 from two-point distance (51.5 percent) but made only 2 of 13 three-point attempts (15.4 percent). The Cougars were 14 of 22 from the free-throw line (63.6 percent). Wayne Trace hit 9 of 28 two-point attempts (32.1 percent) and was 4 of 10 from three-point distance (40 percent). The Raiders knocked down 15 of 21 free throw attempts (71.4 percent).

Rebounds were even at 24 apiece, while Wayne Trace had more turnovers, 10-14, than the Cougars.

Tonight, the Raiders and Lancers will play in the consolation game, starting at 6 p.m., while Van Wert will meet Crestview in the championship game to follow (click here for more tournament photos).