Will Yoakum scored 30 points, including 23 of his team’s 26 points in the second half and overtime to lead the Hayes boys basketball team to a 47-44 victory over Thomas Worthington Tuesday in Delaware.
Sam Midura found Terin Kinsway for a three on the left wing to cap an 11-2 Pacer run to send it to OT.
“I wasn’t thinking, make the shot or miss the shot, I was just going out there and playing and that’s the result I got,” Kinsway said.
Kinsway fed Yoakum, who knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer from almost the same spot with 2:18 left in overtime to put Delaware ahead for good in the OCC-Cardinal contest.
“We’ve had (close) games taken away from us … it’s about time one of them went for us,” Yoakum said.
Only three players found the scoring column for the Pacers. Yoakum led with 30 points and three blocks to go with six rebounds, Kinsway finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds and Tracey Sumner came off the bench to add five points and four assists.
“That’s my first time,” Yoakum said about his scoring effort. “It feels good, but the win feels better.”
Yoakum converted old-fashioned three-point plays on consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter to start Delaware’s run.
“It gave us energy,” he said. “I knew that we had each other’s backs and we just had to get going.”
The Pacers (4-3, 2-1) overcame deficits all night. Thomas opened 8-0 off of baskets by four different players – Jaedyn Carter, Jake Montgomery, Christian Carter and Curtis Clinger.
Sumner finally ended the Delaware drought when he knocked down a three-pointer from the left corner off a Nate Griggs pass to get the Pacers on the board.
“Tracey Sumner, to me, was one of the players of the game because he’s so infectious – his enthusiasm and how hard he plays,” Delaware coach Jordan Blackburn said. “He’s just a winner.”
Sumner played key minutes for Delaware, who lost Kameron Beekman in the second half to a knee injury.
“I just knew what we all had to do together,” Sumner said. “I knew the role that I had to play – to not turn the ball over and just play defense. I was able to contribute to my team in some way.”
Kinsway followed with the next five points to cut the deficit to 9-8 at the end of one.
Thomas opened with the first five points of the second quarter before Yoakum scored the next seven points to cut it to one, and another Kinsway basket gave the Pacers a 17-16 lead at the break.
Delaware was held to three free throws until a Yoakum dunk late in the third quarter.
Jaedyn Carter scored six of his team’s 12 points in the third quarter as the Cardinals (2-3, 0-3) built a 28-22 lead.
Yoakum knocked down another three to cut the deficit to five before Montgomery and Jaedyn Carter scored a quick four points on back-to-back possessions to push the lead to nine – Thomas’ largest of the game.
Jaedyn Carter led Thomas with 15 points, eight rebounds and six steals and Christian Carter added 12 points, three rebounds and three steals. Montgomery finished with a game-high five blocks to go with four points for the Cardinals.
“This program wasn’t built on moral victories, but if we hadn’t won (Tuesday night), it still would have been the best we’ve played all season,” Blackburn said. “I’m real proud of our guys.”
Next up, Delaware hosts Teays Valley in non-league action Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
Watterson 56, Buckeye Valley 32
It wasn’t the start or the finish that hurt the Barons, it was the middle two quarters that did them in during Tuesday’s lopsided non-league setback against the host Eagles.
Down just 19-14 after one, Buckeye Valley scored a combined five points in the second and third quarters as Watterson stormed out to a 42-19 lead heading into the final frame.
Aaron Watson led the Barons with 12 points thanks in part to 3-for-6 shooting from long range. Ethan Crawford was also steady, finishing with nine points, while Nathan Edington led BV with nine rebounds.
Delaware Christian 51, Granville Christian 45
The Eagles started strong and held on late to drop host Granville Christian Tuesday night.
DCS was outscored 24-12 in the second half, but held on thanks to its 30-18 halftime edge.
Isaac Rindfuss led the Eagles with 13 points while Adam Standley finished with 11 and Andrew Dunnavant had 10.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Hayes outscored host Thomas Worthington in each of the last two quarters, but couldn’t climb out of a 17-point halftime hole en route to a 56-46 non-league setback Tuesday night.
Madison Eldridge and Katie Blair both finished in double figures for the Pacers, closing with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Jada Sleet led the Cardinals with a game-best 16.
Liberty 68, Marysville 48
The Patriots used a balanced attack to get the job done Tuesday, rolling past visiting Marysville on the strength of five double-figure scorers.
Bre Yashko led the way with 15 points while Emma Humenay had 14, Teegan Pifher finished with 12, Katie Harrop had 11 and Sydney Englehart closed with 10 in the win.
