Julius Brown finished with a game-high 21 points and Jeremiah Keene scored 14 including the game-winning runner with five seconds left to lead the Westerville North boys basketball team to a 60-58 OCC-Buckeye Division win over visiting Olentangy Friday night.

“We made them take a tough shot, that’s for sure,” Olentangy coach John Feasel said. “They stalled with about 30 seconds left, ran it down to 10 or so and Keene banked in an eight-footer with a couple people all over him … it wasn’t wide open or anything like that.”

The Braves (1-3, 0-2 OCC) looked to be in control after a solid 23-8 first quarter. The Warriors (3-1, 2-1 OCC) bounced back with an equally as impressive second, though, outscoring Olentangy 24-10 to make it a one-point game at the break.

The second half went back and fourth until Keene’s late heroics put the Warriors up for good.

Jason Sieve led the Braves with 19 points, Sean Marks added 16 and Jerred Kinnaird finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds in the setback.

Dublin Scioto 40, Hayes 39

Brandon Vertolli hit two clutch free throws with 41 seconds left as the Irish slipped past the host Pacers in league play Friday night in Delaware.

“Credit Scioto,” Hayes coach Jordan Blackburn said. “They took care of the ball down the stretch and deserved to win. We’ll use this as fuel and get better.”

Hayes’ Terin Kinsway, who finished with 10 points, was called for a charge on the ensuing possession and, after forcing a turnover to get the ball back down one, Will Yoakum’s jumper rimmed out at the buzzer.

Yoakum finished with 11 points while Scioto’s Vertolli had a game-best 16.

New Albany 53, Big Walnut 41

The Golden Eagles played well through a half, but struggled down the stretch as the host Eagles rallied to a league win Friday in New Albany.

Down one after one, Big Walnut used a 14-11 second quarter to take a 20-18 lead into halftime. New Albany erased the deficit with an 11-5 third and sealed the deal with a 24-16 fourth.

Henry von Hollen and Alex Kelso led BW with 12 points apiece while New Albany’s Tommy McDonald led all scorers with 15.

Westerville South 69, Liberty 43

The Patriots led after each of the first two quarters, but the defending state champion Wildcats caught fire in the third to cruise to a 69-43 league win Friday in Westerville.

South outscored Liberty 26-4 in the third quarter to take control.

Ethan Novy led the Patriots with 18 points on the strength of four three-pointers while Kaleb Wesson finished with a game-high 19 for the Wildcats.

Also: Westerville Central 45, Orange 38

GIRLS BASKTBALL

Big Walnut won three of the four quarters, but a big third was all visiting New Albany needed to notch a hard-fought 48-45 league win Friday in Sunbury.

The Golden Eagles led 8-6 after the first quarter and 19-15 at halftime, but a 21-10 third-quarter surge put the visiting Eagles in control.

New Albany’s Brooke Isabel led all scorers with 22 points while Katie Cochran led BW with 10 points and Erin Boehm added eight.

Also: Olentangy 48, Westerville North 43