WORTHINGTON, Ohio -- The ongoing pandemic has made for a slow start to the high school basketball season, but Thursday night offered possibly the most intriguing non-conference game yet as the Division I Newark Wildcats visited Division III Worthington Christian.

Divisions set aside, these two teams have more in common than usual.  Both teams were runner-ups in their respective 2020 district finals.  Both teams have scholarship-level prospects and upperclassmen leadership.  And both teams have their eyes set on a 2021 district title and beyond.

Unfortunately for Newark, they were without four-year senior point guard Kade Bafford and that might have been the difference, as Worthington Christian squeaked out a defensive slugfest, with a 44-39 win.

Newark got off to a dominating start, scoring the first seven points as they forced several turnovers and implemented an initially effective double team on Worthington Christian’s star junior point guard DJ Moore.

However, it was Moore who ignited the second quarter spark and lead the Warriors on a 17-4 run, positioning them for a 23-20 halftime lead.  A combination of aggressive team defense and actively jumping the passing lanes helped create multiple steal-and-score opportunities. 

Through the second half, neither team was able to pull away, with the game tied up and less than four minutes remaining.  Kobe Buford then hit his only three of the night for the Warriors to take a 3-point lead that would hold as Tyler Kindberg made both of his one-and-one free throws in the final seconds to seal the victory.

Newark was led by seniors Drew Ballinger and Elijah Hinton, who both scored 14 points a piece.  Hinton was the most dominating rebounder of the game, notching nine boards and also seemed to find the hoop when Newark needed a basket the most.

It’s worth noting the Warriors already have five games under the belt compared to Newark’s one.  It also cannot be overlooked the Wildcats were without their team leader in Bafford.  Yet, this felt like a statement win for Worthington Christian.  Regardless of the circumstances, not many teams beat Newark, arguably one of the state’s most consistent and well-coached teams.  This is a type of game that will prepare the Warriors for a deep run in March.

For the Wildcats, they certainly will hope to have Bafford back sooner than later.  However, they still have a very solid 1-2 punch with Ballinger and Hinton.  Sophomore point guard Grant Burkholder is also gaining some valuable playing time experience and will continue to improve and be a contributor for this year’s team. 

The game also caught the eye of several regional Division III college programs, as a handful of coaches from the OAC were in attendance.

Worthington Christian’s senior forward Handy Touissant was sidelined with a bandaged hand and looks to be out indefinitely. 

Newark’s next game features their first OCC matchup of the year, as they visit Central Crossing on Dec. 18.   The Warriors get a little bit of rest, as they aren’t scheduled to play until Dec. 23 against Centerburg.

DJ Moore (6'3 PG / Worthington Christian / 2022): Once the junior point guard and Liberty-commit settled into the game, Moore took over and never looked back.  For the second game in a row, Moore put in 21 points and took more of a score-first approach than usual, a wise read once he was able to break the Newark double-team defense approach.   While he had more turnovers than he’d like, Moore needed to be aggressive to match what Newark threw at him.  Simply put, star players help you win big games and DJ Moore fit the bill tonight. 

Drew Ballinger (6'4 WF / Newark / 2021): With Bafford out of the lineup, the 6’4 wing forward held much of the offensive scoring responsibility, with co-team high 14 points.  The lengthy senior showed his range, making shots from beyond the arc and while also attacking the rim.   Ballinger can get hot, as he scored a quick 8 points in the first quarter.  To win a district title, Newark will need him to be a consistent scoring threat and Ballinger should be up for the challenge.

Tyler Kindberg (6'3 WG / Worthington Christian / 2021): Fresh off his first scholarship offer he received from Indiana Wesleyan yesterday, Kindberg was once again everywhere tonight.  He had 10 points, including an emphatic breakaway dunk, but it was his activity on defense that made a huge difference tonight.  Kindberg had four steals and he likely forced at least four more turnovers. Kindberg is a high energy player and one of the more athletic players in his class.  It’d be wise to expect more scholarship offers to come Kindberg’s way this season. 

Elijah Hinton (6'7 PF / Newark / 2021): The 6’7 senior post was the most impactful player for the Wildcats tonight.  Scoring 14 points, Hinton was the most consistent scorer for Newark as most of his points were scored from working his guard’s high/low passing attack. He also was dominant on both ends of the glass, with a game high nine rebounds.  Hinton has good size and mechanics that should be intriguing for coaches at the next level. 

Kobe Buford (6'3 WG / Worthington Christian / 2021): It won’t show up in the box score, but Buford played a critical role for the Warriors tonight, including major tough plays in the fourth quarter.  Buford not only hit a three-pointer to give the Warriors the lead for good at 40-37, but he also took two fourth quarter charges and three total in the game.  Even when not scoring, the Olivet Nazarene commit offers a type of selfless effort on the defensive end that plays a big role for the Warriors.

Grant Burkholder (5'9 PG / Newark / 2023): His stat line wasn’t insane, three points and four assists, but Burkholder became a better player tonight.  The 5’9 sophomore point guard most likely won’t see a more physical and skilled guard all season than DJ Moore and yet he more than held his own, forcing multiple turnovers.  Newark’s offense was noticeably flowing better when he was in the game.  As Burkholder continues to physically grow and improve his shot, he should be next in line of great Newark guards.