D3 SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL … Luke Reinhard (pictured) had 13 points to lead Delta as they fell Paulding. VIEW 84 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
DELTA (February 27, 2024) – Sometimes the absolute worst decision in the world turns out to be all for the better. Up 31-28 with just 80 seconds left in the game and Delta having to foul five times to get Paulding into the bonus, the Panthers’ Blake Rhonehouse for some reason fired up a right wing three-pointer.
A miss and a Delta rebound would give Delta a shot to tie in the final ticks. In this case though Rhonehouse’s shot went through as did his four free throws in the last 33 seconds as Paulding beat Delta 40-30 to advance in the Division III sectional tournament.
Delta jumped out to a 6-0 lead five plus minutes into the game as Alex York, Luke Reinhard and York again scored in close.
Rhonehouse, who ended up with 23 of Paulding’s 40 points, canned a pair of long triples to bring Paulding to within 8-6 after a quarter.
Kane Jones tripled and scored in close to give Paulding an 11-8 lead, but Reinhard hit three straight shots around another Rhonehouse triple to make the game even at 16-16 with 1:31 left in the half.
Rhonehouse’s baseline jumper and Casey Agler’s bucket off a Delta turnover pushed Paulding back up 20-16 at the break.
York’s baseline jumper at the 6:53 mark of the third again brought Delta even at 20-20, and again Rhonehouse tripled to regain a Paulding lead and take his team to a 26-24 advantage heading into the fourth.
Agler’s three-pointer gave Paulding a 29-24 margin with 5:55 left but Reinhard’s bomb brought Delta within a point 29-28 with 4:28 to go.
Rhonehouse scored inside to give Paulding (14-9) a three-point lead, then after a Delta misfire, Paulding ran a minute off the clock before what many thought was an ill-advised three-ball attempt hit nothing but net for a 34-28 Paulding lead that they closed out with 6/6 foul shooting in the last minute.
Rhonehouse was the only Paulding player to reach double figures. Reinhard had 13 for Delta (12-11).
PAULDING (40) – Manz 1; Rhonehouse 23; Agler 7; Schneider 0; Jones 5; Barton 4; Harder 0; Totals: 5-7-9 – 40
DELTA (30) – J. Ruple 2; T. Ruple 2; J. Gibbons 0; W. Gibbons 0; Reinhard 13; Bower 0; York 8; Hallett IV 0; Brasher 5; Totals: 11-1-5 – 30
PAULDING 6 14 6 14 – 40
DELTA 8 8 8 6 – 30
