D3 SECTIONAL FINAL … Madden Valentine takes a jumper from the elbow in Friday night’s win over Otsego in the sectional finals. VIEW ALL PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
ARCHBOLD (March 1, 2024) – Consistent scoring across all four quarters led by a stellar 34-point showing from senior Cade Brenner took the Bluestreaks to a 68-47 win over the Otsego Knights in Archbold Friday night.
The Knights were fresh off a 60-53 victory over Fairview on February 27, while Archbold had a bye and had not played since their game against Patrick Henry on February 23.
Archbold struck first with a three-pointer out of the gate from junior Sonny Phillips. Otsego struck right back with a pair of baskets from junior Carter Lampe and senior Drew Gase, to take the lead 4-3. It would be their only lead of the game.
Another Bluestreaks trey – this one from Brenner – was answered with a basket from Otsego senior Jack Simpson, giving the Knights their only tie of the game.
Another pair of threes and a basket from Brenner as well as a layup by junior Micah Nofziger rounded out first quarter scoring for Archbold.
Amid Brenner’s hot streak, Otsego picked up a basket via sophomore Devin Silva and a late longshot from Simpson, left the Bluestreaks up 16-11.
The Knights found a rhythm at the beginning of the second quarter, matching shot for shot. Otsego made the first statement with a three-pointer from Lampe, which was immediately met by one from Brenner, which was immediately met by one from Simpson, which was immediately met by a layup from Brenner.
A basket each from Otsego senior Owen Atkinson and Brenner were followed by a trey from Gase,
bringing the score to 23-22, the closest the game would be the rest of the night.
With a single free throw by Silva providing the only interruption, the Bluestreaks went on an 11-point run.
It began with a fadeaway jumper for three from Brenner, followed by a basket from Nofziger, a trey from junior Evan Wendt, and a buzzer-beating trey from Nofziger to put Archbold up 34-23 at the half.
Otsego found one last wellspring of momentum after coming back from halftime, outscoring Archbold 12-5 in just over four minutes of play.
The gain came largely through the efforts of junior Kaidyn Hutton, who put in two baskets and a free throw toward it. Add in a basket from Gase and a three from Simpson along with the Bluestreaks’ three from senior Jayden Seiler and layup from Phillips and you get the narrowest Otsego would be able to make the gap, 39-35.
Brenner then hit one of his many hot streaks throughout the evening, running in full steam and stopping early for a long three launched in the face of a defender before putting in another basket a possession later.
A ball stripped from Hutton by Nofziger and passed to Brenner turned into a breakaway basket, during which he drew a foul from Simpson before sinking his single free throw attempt.
A three and a basket for Silva rounded out the Otsego scoring in the third. Archbold got a pair of free throws each for Nofziger and Phillips to bring the score to 51-40 going into the final quarter.
Brenner led the way into the last quarter – Archbold’s most dominant – with a basket followed by a single free throw.
The Bluestreaks (21-2) responded to an Otsego (12-12) basket from Silva with a nine-point run starting with a layup from Nofziger immediately followed by a breakaway layup from Nofziger, then a trey from Brenner, then another breakaway layup, this one from Seiler.
A basket from Gase was met with a free throw from Brenner and a pair of layups from junior Broden Piercefield, giving the Bluestreaks their biggest lead of the night at 24 points.
A long three-pointer from Simpson would bring it slightly closer for a final score of 68-47.
The Bluestreaks will now face the Paulding Panthers in Napoleon on March 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the district semifinals.
OTSEGO (47) – Simpson 14; Gase 9; Beyers 0; Atkinson 2; Feehan 0; Ke. Hutton 0; Lampe 5; Ka. Hutton 7; Kellermeier 0; Silva 10; Kovacevic 0; Totals: 12-7-2 – 47
ARCHBOLD (68) – Rodriguez 0; Phillips 9; Brenner 34; Wendt 3; Bickel 0; Seiler 5; Diller 0; Miller 0; Piercefield 4; Valentine 0; Nofziger 13; Totals: 14-11-7 – 68
OTSEGO 11 12 17 7 – 47
ARCHBOLD 16 18 17 17 – 68
