TRANSITION BUCKET … Ashton Kammeyer scores on a fast break following a block shot by the Streaks in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s win. (PHOTO BY RICH HARDING)
By: Nate Calvin
WAUSEON, OHIO-Friday night’s matchup between Archbold and Wauseon had the outright NWOAL title on the line, something that has become customary in the NWOAL.
With a 31-29 lead entering the fourth quarter, Archbold put together a near perfect final eight minutes of basketball to pull away for a 52-37 win and an outright league championship.
Wauseon’s Connar Penrod scored his only field goal of the second half to open the quarter and tie the game at 31-31.
After buckets by Ashton Kammeyer for Archbold and Tyson Britsch for Wauseon, the Bluestreaks began to take control.
DJ Newman, Trey Theobald and Alex Roth all scored for the Bluestreaks as they went on a 6-0 run to take a 39-33 lead at the 5:05 mark.
Following a Wauseon timeout, Isaac Wilson scored down low for the Indians to bring them within 39-35.
Roth answered with back-to-back triples for Archbold as their lead would grow to 45-37 with 2:16 to go.
The Bluestreaks defense then turned in blocked shots on Wauseon’s next two possessions, the first one leading to a breakaway layup by Kammeyer.
Roth added two free throws following the second block to make it a 49-37 game and Archbold would close out the game at free throw line.
Archbold finished the fourth quarter 7/8 from the field with two triples and outscored Wauseon 21-8, led by Roth who had 11 points in the final stanza.
For Wauseon, after going 12/23 through the first three quarters they would go just 4/15 in the fourth, including 0/5 from three-point range.
Archbold started the game shooting well as Kammeyer and Newman knocked down shots to give the Bluestreaks an early 4-0 advantage.
Wauseon responded with a 6-0 run to take the lead led by four points from Britsch before the Streaks went on a 6-0 spurt of their own to retake the lead at 10-6.
Austin Roth ended the quarter for Archbold with an offensive rebound bucket at the buzzer to give the Bluestreaks a 14-9 lead.
The game of runs would continue in the second quarter with the Indians scoring six straight points to open the quarter courtesy of two field goals by Penrod and Wilson’s first score of the night to go back in front 15-14.
Newman then tallied five points for Archbold with two field goals, the second one a three ball, to put Archbold on top 19-15.
Alex Roth and Penrod traded triples before a Jonas Tester bucket for Wauseon cut the Archbold lead to 22-21 at halftime.
After a Britsch field goal gave the Indians a 23-22 lead to start the third, Newman scored the next six points for Archbold while the duo of Wilson and Tester scored for Wauseon to make the score 28-27 Archbold with 3:18 left in the quarter.
Kammeyer then added a free throw before Newman and Wilson would trade field goals to end the quarter with Archbold having a 31-29 lead.
The Indians had no answer for Newman as he was responsible for eight of Archbold’s nine points in the quarter.
Archbold (18-4, 7-1 in NWOAL) ended the game 20/36 (55%) from floor including 4/7 from beyond the arc while Wauseon (17-4, 6-1) finished the night 16/38 for 42% and 1/10 from deep.
Archbold controlled the glass also as they outrebounded the Indians 22-16 on the night, including 9-2 in the decisive fourth quarter.
Newman led all scorers with 21 points followed by Alex Roth with 14. Penrod was the only Indian in double figures with 12 and Wilson added nine.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Archbold 14 8 9 21 52
Wauseon 9 12 8 8 37
Nate can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com