Etzler has double-double vs. Jefferson

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

DELPHOS — It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win.

Behind 28 points and 14 rebounds by 6-8 Ohio State signee Kalen Etzler, Crestview defeated stubborn Delphos Jefferson 55-42 on the stage at Jefferson Middle School on Friday night. It was the sixth straight win for the Knights (10-2, 3-1 NWC), while Delphos Jefferson dropped to 4-7 (2-1 NWC).

The game was closer than the final score would indicate.

After a basket by Delphos Jefferson’s Andrew Miller trimmed Crestview’s lead to three, 41-38, with 5:05 left in the game, the Knights clamped down defensively and closed the game on a 14-4 run.

Prior to the late run, Crestview’s biggest lead was seven. The Knights led 10-8 after the first quarter, but couldn’t pull away in the second period. In fact, the Wildcats led on two occasions, 18-16 and 19-18, but a late layup by Etzler gave Crestview a slim 20-19 halftime lead.

“Delphos Jefferson did a really good job of being patient on offense and caught us overplaying the passing lane several times tonight and made us pay with good backcuts and scores in the paint,” Crestview head coach Doug Etzler said.

Etzler opened the second half with a triple and after a bucket by Brody Brecht it appeared the Knights were starting to pull away, but Delphos Jefferson stayed within striking distance and trailed by just four, 35-31, until a late third quarter basket by Carson Kreischer put Crestview ahead 37-31 at the end of the third. Kreischer went on to finish with 12 points.

“In the second half we did a better job defensively of making them catch it on the perimeter and offensively of getting the ball inside with some post touches for Carson Kreischer and Kalen attacking the basket,” Etzler said. “I was proud of our guys for being gritty and getting a tough road win tonight.”

Ian Wannemacher scored six of Delphos Jefferson’s 11 fourth quarter points. He finished with a team-high 10 points, while Levi Rode added eight.

“I was happy with our guys’ effort tonight,” Delphos Jefferson head coach Jordan Jettinghoff said. “We played physical and executed our game plan well. We needed to find a way to make a couple shots late to keep us in the game but couldn’t find a way.”

“Crestview is playing really good basketball and I think we made them earn everything they got which is what I wanted coming into the game,” Jettinghoff added. “We are continuing to grow as a team and if we play like we did tonight I think we’ll be in good shape.”

The Knights won the battle of the boards, 28-18 and each team finished with 11 turnovers. Crestview was 23-of-44 from the floor and 7-of-11 from the free throw line, while the Wildcats were 16-of-40 shooting and 6-of-13 from the foul line, including 0-4 in the third quarter.

Crestview will play at Fort Loramie tonight and Delphos Jefferson is scheduled to travel to Paulding on Friday.

Scoring summary

Jefferson 8 11 12 11 – 42
Crestview 10 10 17 18 – 55

Delphos Jefferson: Colin Bailey 2-1-5; Trent Teman 3-0-6; Ian Wannemacher 3-4-10; Andrew Miller 3-1-7; Logan Gallmeier 2-0-6; Levi Rode 3-0-8

Crestview: Kalen Etzler 11-4-28; Gavin Etzler 0-1-1; Brody Brecht 4-0-8; JJ Ward 2-2-6; Carson Kreischer 6-0-12

JV: Crestview 38-24