DUBLIN, Ohio -- Things are starting to click for the young Dublin Jerome basketball team. Despite not having a single senior in its starting lineup, the Celtics (2-2) took down a senior-laden Bishop Hartley (2-1) on Wednesday, relying on sharp three-point shooting to roll to a 60-47 victory.

Despite being held to three points in the first seven minutes of the game, Jerome turned up the pressure in a hurry behind its bench rotation of sophomore Sasha Stavroff, sophomore Luke Kuhlman and junior David Adolph.

This trio helped the Celtics outscore Hartley 16-5 in the second quarter, powering Jerome to a 22-14 halftime lead.

Sophomore guard Ryan Nutter took the momentum of his first in-game dunk in the second quarter and got the Celtics rolling in the second half. Nutter's elite-level passing ability set his teammates up for open looks all game long, as Jerome scored 38 points in the second half and knocked down 11 threes on Wednesday. 

Sophomore guard Lachlan MacDonald had another outstanding performance in the early going of the season, knocking down 7-of-9 threes for a game-high 21 points. Nutter added 12 points, four rebounds, five assists and a steal, making a huge impact on the game with his ability to create offense at the lead guard spot.

Stavroff added seven points off the bench, while junior forward CC Ezirim added six points. Despite only going for two points, junior forward Matt Butler had an outstanding performance, adding three assists and four steals, as he was everywhere on the defensive end of the floor.

Jerome's half court offense was rolling in the final three quarters as the Celtics finished with 17 assists as a team compared to just seven for Hartley.

Jerome really frustrated Hartley with its 1-3-1 half court trap defense, forcing the Hawks into more than a dozen turnovers. 

For Hartley, senior guard DJ Donnell led all scorers with 15 points. The 5-foot-11 guard added three rebounds, three assists and four steals. Senior forward Will Miller pitched in 11 points and six rebounds, while senior Alex Blain pitched in nine points. 

Jerome will look to stay hot when they host Whitehall on Saturday at 4 p.m. For Hartley, the Hawks will look to redeem themselves on the road at Jonathan Alder next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Ryan Nutter (6'3 PG / Dublin Jerome / 2023): Nutter is an elite-level passer that is as advanced in that area as any guard we have seen. The 6-foot-3 sophomore threads the needle, as he has near pro-level vision, touch and creativity as a passer, utilizing different bullet passes, bounce passes, skip passes, one hand and two hand passes to create advantages for his teammates. In addition to his impressive passing, Nutter is a tough SOB that competes at an elite level. He had a strong scoring night as well, finishing around the basket, knocking down 3-of-4 attempts at the line, hitting a three and throwing down his first in-game dunk. Everything Nutter does on the basketball floor leads to winning, as he has taken this Jerome program under his control as a sophomore and will be a problem to deal with for years to come. Don't overthink it. This young man can play the game of basketball. 

Lachlan MacDonald (6'1 G / Dublin Jerome / 2023): Every great passing point guard needs an elite shooter to kick it out to. MacDonald is that elite shooter for Nutter. The 6-foot-1 sophomore had a career-high scoring performance on Wednesday, hitting an absurd seven triples as opposed to only two misses. MacDonald has a very smooth looking stroke and shot with supreme confidence on Wednesday. Jerome has needed a secondary scoring threat to arise in the backcourt and MacDonald has proven early on that he's capable of filling that void.

Matt Butler (6'5 PF / Dublin Jerome / 2022): While some players and parents think scoring is the only way to be noticed, Butler has proven that to be wrong as he deserves a mention here for his performance as a passer, defender and overall winner. The 6-foot-5 forward is finally healthy and giving Jerome a major boost on both ends of the floor. He greatly impacted winning on Wednesday, helping Jerome stifle Hartley on defense with four steals and a handful of deflections. Butler is a high IQ passer out of the post that added three assists as well. A thickly built strong forward, Butler will be a great look for small college programs a year from now.

CC Ezirim (6'7 PF / Dublin Jerome / 2022): One of the longest players anywhere in the area, Ezirim is a game wrecker on the defensive end of the floor when Jerome puts him on top of the 1-3-1 defense. Ezirim is an explosive athlete that threw down a vicious one-handed slam that caught everyone in the gym by surprise other than the coaches on the Jerome staff that have come to expect that out of him. Ezirim is an impressive rim protector that can move his feet out on the perimeter. The defensive value is clearly there, while his offense continues to develop, as he has added new layers to his game each time we've seen him.

David Adolph (6'5 WF / Dublin Jerome / 2022): Lengthy forward who put in great minutes off the bench. Adolph has good mobility and knocked down a three-point field goal. He added two assists, a big block and a steal. Jerome has a handful of impressive big guys and Adolph is another one of them. 

Sasha Stavroff (6'0 PG / Dublin Jerome / 2023): The Celtics are LOADED in the backcourt in the 2023 class, as Stavroff is another talented guard to keep an eye on. The 6-foot sophomore came off the bench and gave Jerome a big boost with the threat of his three-point shooting prowess. The younger brother of one of the greatest players in Jerome history in 2016 graduate Seve Stavroff, Sasha Stavroff has a game that is very similar to his older bro. A talented lead guard that plays with some flash to his game, Stavroff's energy seems to rub off on his teammates, as the Celtics played with more confidence when he was on the floor on Wednesday. The trio of Nutter, MacDonald and Stavroff in the backcourt will be a nightmare for opponents for years to come. 

DJ Donnell (5'11 PG / Bishop Hartley / 2021): Donnell is one of our favorite guards to watch in the area, as he absolutely gets after it on the defensive end of the floor. The senior snatched four steals on Wednesday, picking the pocket of ball handlers and playing the passing lanes. On offense, Donnell has great quickness and is a willing passer that was probably a little too unselfish for most of the game. Once he started looking for his shot, he began to hit, scoring the bulk of his 15 points in the second half. If you're looking for a coachable lead guard who will give you elite effort on both ends of the floor, Donnell is a guy you'll want to look at.

Will Miller (6'3 WF / Bishop Hartley / 2021): One of the strongest wing players that you'll see all year, Miller was a force around the rim for Hartley on Wednesday. Finishing with 11 points and seven rebounds, Miller put his strength to use to finish around the basket and lock down the glass. While he did not have the type of shooting performance that we've come to expect out of him, Miller was still productive in an otherwise frustrating game for the Hawks.