Tale of the Tape: Lancers vs. Flyers

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

The best of the best remain and will compete at the 104th OHSAA boys basketball state tournament at Wright State University and the University of Dayton, which runs through Sunday.

The Lincolnview Lancers are representing Van Wert County, but the area has four other teams competing as well – Marion Local, Delphos St. John’s, Kalida and Lima Sr.

Two of those teams – Lincolnview and Marion Local – will meet in the Division VI state semifinals at the Ervin J. Nutter Center at Wright State University at 8 p.m. Friday. The winner will move on to the Division VI state championship game, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the University of Dayton. The opponent will be Berlin Hiland or Kirtland.

It’s been well documented that Lincolnview is the biggest turnaround team of the season, but most fans surely couldn’t have predicted a run to the state semifinals. The Lancers have defeated Hicksville, Tinora, Gibsonburg, Crestview and Colonel Crawford to get to this point. Colonel Crawford came in as the defending regional champion but Lincolnview raced out to a 14-8 first quarter lead and never looked back on the way to a 58-45 victory. The Lancers did suffer a costly loss in that game though. 5-10 junior guard Zander Coil, a threat to score and a more than solid defender, went down with a broken collarbone late in the third quarter.

This is Lincolnview’s fourth state tournament appearance (1996, 1997, 2016). The Flyers won the Division IV state title in 1997 and finished as the runner-up in 1996 and 2016.

The Flyers endured a close district semifinal game against New Bremen (43-41), but have cruised since, including a 57-43 win over No. 2 and previously undefeated Tri-Village in the regional finals. In that game, the Patriots were held to 25 points below their season average.

Defense has been the calling card all season for the Flyers, holding 17 opponents to 40 points or less. Offensively, Marion Local has a balanced attack featuring Brayden Mescher (13 points per game) and Kale Ahrens (12.9 points per game).

Marion Local was at the state tournament last season and defeated Colonel Crawford 52-38 in the semifinals before falling to Woodsfield Monroe Central 43-35 in the championship game. This is the seventh state appearance for Marion Local (1975, 1984, 2003, 2004, 2018, 2025). The Flyers won state titles in 2003 and 2018 and finished as the runner-up in 2004 and last season.

Here is a comparison of the two teams.

Lincolnview Lancers

Record: 22-5 (7-1 NWC)

Regular season wins: Wayne Trace, Upper Scioto Valley, Continental, Lima Central Catholic, Ottoville, Fort Jennings, Kalida, Fort Recovery, Spencerville, Miller City, Columbus Grove, Antwerp, Bluffton, Parkway, Delphos Jefferson, Paulding, Crestview.

Regular season losses: Ada, Van Wert, Allen East, Delphos St. John’s, Arlington.

Tournament wins: 38-29 Hicksville, 59-45 Tinora 59-45, 52-40 Gibsonburg, 53-46 Crestview, 58-45 Colonel Crawford

Current winning streak: five games

Average points per game: 61

Opponents points per game: 51

Leading scorers

Max Hammons 5-9 junior guard 17.8 ppg

Gavin Evans 6-0 senior forward 11.4 ppg

Marshall Hammons 6-2 freshman guard 10.7 ppg

Chayse Overholt 5-11 senior guard 8.9 ppg

Zander Coil 5-10 junior guard 5.8 ppg (off bench)

Holden Price 5-7 senior guard 3.3 ppg

Marion Local Flyers

Record: 25-1 (8-1 MAC)

Regular season wins: Fort Recovery, New Knoxville, Bath, St. Henry (twice), Celina, Anna, Jonathan Alder, Botkins, Parkway, Van Wert, New Bremen, Jackson Center, Fort Loramie, Coldwater, Spencerville, Minster, Russia, Wapakoneta, Versailles, Van Buren.

Regular season loss: Delphos St. John’s

Tournament wins: 43-41 New Bremen, 52-23 Ada, 69-45 Fort Recovery, 57-43 Tri-Village

Current winning streak: 15 games

Average points per game: 57.4

Opponents points per game: 38.5

Leading scorers

Brayden Mescher 6-2 senior 13.0 ppg

Kale Ahrens 6-3 junior 12.9 ppg

Grant Kremer 5-11 senior 9.7 ppg

Brennan Hess 6-5 sophomore 7.4 ppg

Luke Everman 6-3 junior 5.7 ppg