ALEXANDER, Ohio -- Saturday offered a unique matchup between two teams that we have never seen play one another. Newark and Waverly were worth the price of admission at Alexander High School, as these two well coached teams battled back and forth in an overtime thriller that saw the Wildcats (5-2) come away victorious, 60-55.

Waverly had the early advantage behind the play of senior guard Trey Robertson, who helped the Tigers hold a 15-9 lead after the first quarter. Newark responded with an 11-0 run, taking a 20-17 lead midway through the second quarter behind back to back triples from sophomore Steele Meister.

Newark's big second quarter helped the Wildcats take a 28-25 lead into the locker room at halftime. 

Waverly started the second half off much like the first half, riding Robertson's playmaking ability to outscore the Wildcats 14-7 in the period. The Tigers took a 39-35 lead into the fourth quarter which was more than its fair share of entertaining.

The Tigers extended its lead to as much as nine points in the fourth, however, Newark never stopped fighting and continued to give themselves a chance.

The Wildcats went on a crucial 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 49-48 with 35 seconds to play. While Waverly knocked down two big free throws to extend its lead to 51-48, Newark struck back in a big way.

After Meister had a driving layup attempt miss off the rim, the sophomore rebounded his own miss against three defenders, finding senior Grant Somers open on the right wing. Somers got Robertson flying with a heady ball fake and proceeded to bury a massive game-tying three with 8.5 seconds to play.

Waverly was not able to score on the final possession of regulation, sending Saturday's thriller into overtime.

In the extra period, it was all Newark as the Wildcats took the initial lead and never looked back, knocking down clutch free throws to go away with a five-point win in a game that they looked destined to lose midway through the fourth quarter. 

Senior forward Ethan Schell had one of the best games of his career, playing all 36 minutes and leading all scorers with 19 points. The 6-foot-5 senior knocked down three triples, grabbed four rebounds and added three steals. Meister pitched in a double double, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, as the sophomore can play virtually any position for the Wildcats with his skill set. Somers added a career high 12 points, showing up in a big way for the Wildcats with his game-tying three that saved the game for Newark.

Junior guard Grant Burkholder did not have his greatest game, however, his play in the second half helped Newark come away with the win, as he finished with nine points on 5-of-6 shooting at the line.

For Waverly, Robertson was a playmaker all game long,  finishing with 13 points, four rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Senior forward Will Futhey was a man around the rim, finishing with 15 points and eight rebounds. The rest of the scoring was wide spread for the Tigers, who had no other players in double figures. 

Newark will be off until after Christmas when they host their yearly Newark Holiday Invitational. 

Waverly will get another Central Ohio test when unbeaten Upper Arlington comes to Downtown Arena on Dec. 30 at 8 p.m.

Ethan Schell (6'5 SF / Newark / 2022): Schell is a player that we really enjoyed watching last year. He offers intriguing size at 6-foot-5 and has one of the purest strokes in the area. The senior is a dead eye shooter that doesn't need much space to get his jumper off. He is a big weapon for the Wildcats away from the ball, as there aren't many better catch and shoot guys in the area. Schell makes an impact defensively with his size, length and ability to move for his size. He had three steals and a big block that helped the Wildcats come away with the win. Regional college programs should give Schell a look, as he offers impressive size, skill and versatility at 6-foot-5. 

Steele Meister (6'4 SF / Newark / 2024): Meister has been one of the breakout sophomores in the area this year. He made an instant impact when he powered the Wildcats to a crucial road win at Pickerington Central, taking it right to the chest of Devin Royal and Sonny Styles to power Newark to a huge victory. That game showed that Meister was here to stay and he has done more to stake his claim this year. The sophomore does a lot of the ball handling duties for this team outside of Burkholder, bringing it down the floor a handful of times and leading the team with four assists. He is a big body down low that can rebound, finish through contact and stretch the floor with his three point jumper. Look for Meister to be a highly productive player the next three years for Newark.

Grant Somers (6'0 SG / Newark / 2022): Somers is a kid who has waited his turn for four years for the Wildcats. He finally had a chance to make a play that will be remembered and did just that with his game-tying three. Somers was needed to produce on Saturday and he did that with 12 crucial points. The senior has always been able to knock down shots and make plays on the offensive end. That was the case on Saturday and he turned in one of his best games to help power the Wildcats to a much-needed win.

Trey Robertson (5'10 PG / Waverly / 2022): If you want to watch an entertaining guard, we suggest you take the hour and a half drive south and check out Robertson. The 5-foot-10 senior is a bonafide scoring machine that has put up legendary numbers in his career. However, while he can certainly put the ball in the bucket in a major way, we were most impressed with his ability to make plays for others on Saturday. The senior is a next level passer who is a blur in the open floor with his speed, quickness and quick twitch decision making. Robertson can take a game over off the bounce with the way he is able to score the ball, however, he may find his best success in college with the way he can set the table for others and make plays that lead to winning. 

Will Futhey (6'5 PF / Waverly / 2022): Futhey is a physical inside presence who is a great second option for Robertson. The senior guard-big duo cause problems for other teams, as Futhey can finish as well as Robertson can distribute. We love the toughness and physicality that Futhey plays with, as he does not back down against any opponent and is a very impactful high school player.