Hill scores career-high 30 as Findlay edges O-G in showdown

Javonte Hill says he plays better against better teams. And against Ottawa-Glandorf Saturday night, Hill was at his best. Hill scored 11 points in a third quarter that saw Findlay take the lead, added 10 in a fourth quarter when the Trojans doggedly protected it and finished with a career-high 30 in a 49-47 victory in a classic battle between two state-ranked teams. "Every game's a big game," Hill said. "When the pressure is on, I definitely feel I have to step up and help my teammates. But they help me a ton, too, so it all works together." "Javonte can beat guys to the basket, and tonight he did a pretty good of that," said FHS coach Jim Rucki. "He's explosive and did a nice job of getting to the rim." Findlay, the No. 2-ranked Division I team in the first prep poll of the season, remained undefeated at 10-0 and bettered – so far – by one game the program's best start since 2006-07. Ottawa-Glandorf, ranked No. 2 in Division III, is 10-2. The margin of victory was Findlay's closest yet. But that was to be expected against an O-G program that has posted eight consecutive 20-win seasons and is coming off back-to-back state runner-up finishes. "We needed this type of game," Rucki said. "Ten guys out there, competing at the highest level for 32 minutes, getting after it … We had some shoot-ourselves-in-the-foot turnovers that almost cost us. We really didn't have a great shooting night. But we kept battling. We made some plays and defensively we did what we needed to do. "It's nice to get the win and move on. But this is the kind of game that would have helped us no matter what (the outcome)." O-G's Tyson McGlaughlin agreed. "This is what it's all about, two teams battling that have a lot to play for," said McGlaughlin, who has one state championship, three Final Four appearances and a 272-58 record in his 12-plus seasons as O-G's coach. "This game right now doesn't determine the success of either team's season. But it does point out areas where both teams need to improve. "We not here for moral victories by any stretch, but we have to take some of these things and make us a better team. This is the type of environment that prepares you for March." Ottawa-Glandorf was beating Findlay on the boards early on, and beating the buzzer in forging a 22-18 halftime lead. Alex Wagner's offensive rebound – O-G's 11th rebound of the first quarter – and buzzer-beating put-back put the Titans up 14-10 after one period of play. Caden Erford also beat the buzzer, nailing a 3-pointer just before the horn to keep it a four-point difference – 22-18 – at the half. O-G took its biggest lead – 27-20 – two minutes in to the third quarter when Colin White converted two free throws and Wagner buried a 3 from the right corner. Hill, cat quick off the dribble, began putting his talents to good use. The senior guard drove for one basket, drove again, was fouled and made two free throws after a Ryan Montgomery steal, then came up with a steal of his own, was fouled and made two more foul shots, trimming the deficit to a single point (27-26) with 4:53 left in the period. White ended O-G's drought with a free throw, but Luke Weihrauch got free in the right corner and nailed a 3 that gave Findlay its first lead since it was 4-0 at the start of the game. O-G would go back in front on Erford's 3-pointer and White's two free throws. The ebb and flow of momentum continued when Hill scored, then came up with a steal and completed the and-one 3-point play. White answered for O-G, but Weihrauch's two free throws put Findlay up 36-35 heading into the fourth quarter. From then on, it was like two bulldogs fighting over the same T-bone. Hills left-handed scoop and two free throws after an O-G turnover put Findlay up 40-35. Grant Schroeder made two foul shots for O-G, but Hill rebounded his own miss, was fouled and completed another 3-point play to restore a six-point edge (43-37). The lead reached seven when Weihrauch split two free throws. Findlay then switched from its customary man-to-man defense to a 1-3-1 zone, Schroeder got free underneath for one basket, and after a back-and-forth stretch of intense defense, a miss here and there and a turnover or two, White scored on a nifty spin move in the lane to make it 44-41. Hill scored on a nice feed from Montgomery, but Erfod made two free with 1:53 left and after a Findlay turnover White converted two more with 1:37 on the clock. Hill split one of two foul shots with 1:07 left, but Erford answered with two and it was tied 47-47. Sam Ernest broke the deadlock when he rattled in a foul shot with 37.9 seconds left. O-G ran most of that time off the clock before calling a timeout with 7.2 left and setting up one final play. O-G got the ball to White in the lane, but his contested shot would not fall. Montgomery rebounded and was fouled, and put the final point on the board with a tenth-of-a-second on the clock. "Colin went in there, got bodied up and had to take a tougher shot than we hoped," McGlaughlin said. "It was a heckuva game, back and forth, just a defensive battle. There was a lot of aggressive play, but when you get your all-state guy the opportunity, you can't complain about the shot that we got." White, a 6-foot-6 guard and an Ohio State signee who is on pace to surpass Tim Pollitz (1,693 points) as the all-time leading scorer in O-G basketball history, had 16 points, but was held about eight points below his season average by Findlay's defense. Erford, a 6-4 senior, had 10 points, about five shy of his average. "Luke (Weihrauch), Ben (Best) and Ryan (Montgomery) were tremendous against White and Erford," Rucki said. "Defensively, they did an outstanding job against some Division I-caliber athletes." Weihrauch also added eight points for the Trojans, who were the playing the second of three games in a four-day stretch and trying to keep what Rucki calls "outside noise" from affecting their play. "We've reacted to everything thrown at us – being ranked, everybody talking about the O-G game even before we played (Sylvania) Northview ... that's all our kids heard about," Rucki said. "Now we have to handle coming down off a huge win and turning around and playing another game (Monday, vs. Toledo Rogers at in the Rossford MLK Showcase). We'll see how we handle that, but we have a group with a pretty good head on their shoulders. "I think come Monday, they'll be ready to go." O-GLANDORF (10-2) Schroeder 3-4 2-2 9, Toumazos 0-2 0-0 0, Maag 0-0-2-2 2, White 4-14 8-10—16, Erford 2-6 4-4 10, Wagner 3-5 0-0 7, Kitchen 0-0 0-0 0, Fortman 1-1 1-1 3. TOTALS: 13-31 17-19—47. FINDLAY (10-0) Weihrauch 1-6 5-6 8, Best 1-2 0-0 2, Ernst 1-3 1-2 3, Hill 9-14 12-14—30, Cordonnier 2-8 0-0 5, Barnes 0-1 0-0 0, Montgomery 0-2 1-2 1. TOTALS:14-36 19-24—49. O-Glandorf &emsp;&emsp;14 &emsp;&emsp;8 &emsp;&emsp;13 &emsp;&emsp;12—47 Findlay &emsp;&emsp;10 &emsp;&emsp;8 &emsp;&emsp;18 &emsp;&emsp;13—49 3-POINT GOALS: Ottawa-Glandorf 4-9 (Wagner 1-2, Schroeder 1-1, Toumazos 0-1, White 0-1, Erford 2-4); Findlay 2-11 (Weihrauch 1-3, Ernst 0-2, Hill 0-2, Montgomery 0-1, Cordonnier 1-3). REBOUNDS: Ottawa-Glandorf 25 (White 5, Erford 4, Maag 4); Findlay 20 (Montgomery 5, Cordonnier 4, Hill 4). TURNOVERS: Ottawa-Glandorf 15; Findlay 10. JUNIOR VARSITY: Findlay 40-32.