NWOAL SHOWDOWN … Eli Keifer puts up a scoop shot during the first half against Archbold. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
METAMORA (February 2, 2024) – Evergreen battled Archbold all the way but in the end, it was too much Cade Brenner as the Archbold senior scored 20 second half points to bring Archbold back from a 34-23 deficit to a 51-45 win. The Bluestreaks (16-1, 3-1 NWOAL) remain a game out of first in the NWOAL title race.
Evergreen jumped out to a six-point first quarter lead as Riley Dunbar hit twice inside and Troy Manz came off the bench to can a pair of long three-pointers to give the Vikings an 18-12 lead.
Blade Walker’s drive, a scoop from Eli Keifer and 5/6 from the foul line in the second maintained that six-point margin at the half at 27-21.
Walker’s three-point play and Keifer’s steal and score off one of Archbold’s 19 turnovers boosted the lead to 34-23 with 4:35 left in the third.
Then suddenly the Batphone went off, Clark Kent came out of the phone booth and Brenner turned into a superhero.
The 6’3 guard bagged a triple, 2/2 from the line, scored off a turnover and Stephen Diller’s one hander with 30 seconds left in the third got Archbold within 36-34.
Dunbar’s slam off a steal pushed Evergreen back up six with seven minutes left but while the Vikings were scored in two’s, Brenner was answering back with three.
Twice Brenner hit from way outside the arc to get the Streaks back to 42-40, then his third triple of the quarter knotted the game with two minutes left at 45.
Jayden Seiler’s basket with 1:38 to go put Archbold ahead for good as they hit 4/4 from the line around three Viking misfires in the closing 90 seconds.
Brenner had 23 for the night to lead the Streaks. Walker had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Evergreen (12-4, 2-2 NWOAL). Keifer added 12.
ARCHBOLD (51) – Phillips 0; Brenner 23; Wendt 0; Seiler 9; Diller 4; Miller 7; Nofziger 6; Piercefield; Totals: 12-7-6 – 51
EVERGREEN (45) – Manz 6; Keifer 12; Woodring 7; Vaculik 0; Gillen 2; Walker 11; Dunbar 7; Totals: 16-2-7 – 45
ARCHBOLD 12 9 13 17 – 51
EVERGREEN 18 9 9 9 – 45
JUNIOR VARSITY: Archbold 39, Evergreen 30