Friday Flashback: 2012 Tip-Off Tourney

Note: This week’s Friday Flashback takes us back to the start of the 2012 boys’ high school basketball season and the Van Wert County Hospital Tip-Off Tournament, featuring Crestview, Lincolnview, Van Wert and Wayne Trace. Below is the story as it appeared on the Sports page.

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

The final day of the Van Wert County Hospital Tip-Off Tournament couldn’t have gotten too much more exciting as both the consolation and championship games went down to the wire.

Crestview’s boys won this year’s tourney title with on a buzzer-beater shot by Nick Adam for a 44-42 win over the Van Wert Cougars.

The Knights’ defense was the key, as it held Van Wert’s top scorer, Jacob Myers, to less than half of his total during Friday’s contest against Wayne Trace. Myers, who scored 25 points in Friday’s 54-45 victory over the Raiders, was held to 12 points in Saturday’s contest.

Unfortunately, no one else stepped up offensively for the Cougars, who were outplayed and outhustled by Crestview.

Van Wert led by a bucket after the first period, but the Knights tied the game at 22-all at the half. It was the third quarter that spelled the difference, as Crestview outscored the Cougars 16-11 to take a five-point lead, 38-33, into the fourth quarter.

It was far from over, though, as Van Wert played tough in the final stanza and tied the game as the final seconds ticked off before Adam’s last-second heroics earned the Knights the 2011 Tip-Off Tourney title.

Adam was also Crestview’s – and the game’s – lead scorer with 14 points, while Cameron Etzler added 9 points and Dallis Gibson scored 8 for the Knights. For Van Wert, Myers had 12 points and sophomore AJ Smith added 9 points in the losing effort.

The Cougars were 12 of 21 from two-point range (57.1 percent) and hit 4 of 9 from three-point range (44.4 percent). Van Wert also shot well from the foul line, making 6 of 7 free-throw attempts (85.7 percent). The Knights were 11 of 23 from two-point range (47.8 percent) and made 5 of 10 three-pointers (50 percent). Crestview was also 50 percent from the charity stripe, making 7 of 14 attempts at the line.

Rebounds were even at 14 each, but Van Wert made an uncharacteristic 15 turnovers to 11 for the Knights.

Crestview begins the young season at 2-0, while the Cougars are now 1-1 overall.

The consolation game between Lincolnview and Wayne Trace was also a barn-burner, as the Raiders took a 9-point lead in the first quarter, but then had to fend off Lincolnview, which contested the game all the way from there.

Wayne Trace led 20-11 at the conclusion of the first period, but the Lancers went on a 19-12 tear in the second quarter to trail by just a bucket, 32-30, at the half. Lincolnview did even better in the third quarter, outscoring the Raiders 15-12 in the period to go up by a point, 45-44, heading into the final stanza.

Wayne Trace fended off the Lancers, outscoring them 14-12 for the one-point win.

The Raiders put together a balanced offense, with three players in double figures. Austin Speice led Wayne Trace with 12 points, while Dalton Sinn and Ryan Kortokrax each added 10 points in the victory. For Lincolnview, Sloan Whitaker led offensively with 23 points, while Clayton Longstreth added 14 points for the Lancers.

Wayne Trace was hot from two-point distance, hitting 22 of 35 attempts for 62.9 percent. The Raiders made none of their 8 three-point attempts, though, but were 14 of 19 from the free throw line (73.7 percent). Lincolnview made 15 of 33 two-point attempts (45.5 percent), but was 4 of 15 from three-point range (26.7 percent). The Lancers also made 15 of 23 free throw attempts (65.2 percent).

Lincolnview dominated the boards, bringing down 26 rebounds to 17 for the Raiders, but also gave up three more turnovers, 17-14, than Wayne Trace.

The Raiders are now 1-1 on the season, while the Lancers are 0-2 after two tough tournament losses.