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5 Keys: Dublin Jerome pulls off quality win over Olentangy Liberty

By Greg Glasser, 01/10/23, 11:00PM EST

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Celtics seniors Ryan Nutter and Luke Kuhlman power second half comeback

POWELL, Ohio -- Two of the area's top OCC teams squared off in a non-conference duel as Dublin Jerome overcame a halftime deficit and handed host Olentangy Liberty a 56-51 defeat.

Liberty initially came out with a little more of an edge and took a 25-19 halftime lead. Despite Celtics guard Ryan Nutter mostly having his way offensively, the Patriots did a good job of shutting down other top Jerome performers, notably seniors Luke Kuhlman and Lachlan MacDonald, who were held scoreless in the first half.

The Celtics deficit and Kuhlman's scoreless evening quickly disappeared early into the third, as Kuhlman opened up the half with a corner three pointer to spark a 11-4 run and a Celtics lead halfway through the period.

Liberty would have their share of a response, notably the aggressive play of senior James Hummell and senior Matt Wilson, who had a career night with his five made threes. But Kuhlman would strike again. And again. And again. A trio of threes in the fourth quarter would prove to be too difficult for the Patriots to overcome as the Celtics were able to secure the five point victory in the final seconds.

Kuhlman ended with 14 points and Nutter finished with a game high 20 points and four assists. Fellow seniors Sasha Stavroff and Max Hanneman both had productive games and scored eight points each. 

Wilson's 15 points were a team high for Liberty, while Hummell finished with 14 of his own. The Patriots had five other scorers, but no one with more than seven points. 

There seemed to be a palpable buzz towards the Patriots (11-2) next game, which is at home on Friday against district and league rival Olentangy Orange with an opportunity for first place in the Central on the line. 

The Celtics (9-3) will look to make it four wins in a row as they host Hilliard Darby this Friday for an OCC Cardinal match.

For a further breakdown of Tuesday's game, here are the 5 Keys To The Game:

1. Comeback Celtics: Credit Jerome coach Richie Beard and his squad, led mostly by seniors, for having the composure and the toughness to overcome Liberty's initial swing as they outplayed the Patriots down the stretch. I'll speak more on the performances of Nutter and Kuhlman below, but the Celtics also received solid play from their teammates. Stavroff and Hanneman's combined 16 points would come in needed moments, while junior Brayden Krenzel had a particularly solid first half with four points and two steals. Defensively, the Celtics put Liberty in a position of discomfort, as they applied aggressive double teams in vulnerable positions and forced the Patriots into an uncomfortable amount of turnovers. It may not always be pretty, but you can almost always count on this group of Jerome seniors to compete and play for each other. 

2. The Nutter Difference: While Jerome played their best team ball in the second half, Nutter was consistently solid the entire game. With a team high 20 points and four assists, Liberty didn't really have an answer for him defensively, as the 6'3 guard was able to get into the paint at will and finished at a high percentage. The Marshall commit is seemingly unselfish, as he tends to find the open man once the defense collapses. But what stands out the most about Nutter's play is how physical he gets, particularly for a guard. It's almost a wonder anytime he is able to come away from a game without a bloody nose or several bruises. I'll have more on Nutter's performance in the upcoming Prospect Scouting Report, but there's not really a player like him in the area and he makes a big difference for the Celtics.

3. Cool Hand Luke: While the Celtics have a rotation that features a selection of scorers, their most natural shooter is the 6'4 senior Kuhlman. It may not have been a coincidence Jerome was held under 20 points in the first half with Kuhlman scoreless. That all changed in the second half, when the talented wing came alive and knocked down four second-half triples. Kuhlman's shooting was desperately needed on a night when the Celtics weren't having much luck beyond the arc, with only one made three other than Kuhlman's. Jerome may hang their hat on the defensive end, but they'll need sharpshooting performances like Kuhlman executed in the second half come March.

4. Look at Liberty: Let's be honest, after Liberty graduated their top two scorers from last season, not many would have predicted an 11-1 start for the Patriots. Yet even in defeat on Tuesday, the Patriots looked the part of a team that may still be identifying themselves and what they are particularly good at, but still competing at a high level nonetheless. That tends to be the mark of coach Greg Nossaman teams lately, as they tend to get better as the season progresses and typically overachieve rather than under. While the Patriots may not have a standout first team all-district player like Cooper Davis, on Tuesday they showed they have at least seven guys that fulfill their role and play hard. The Patriots have some solid athletes, but seemed to struggle, excluding Wilson, with outside shooting and taking care of the ball. Those areas will need to improve moving forward.

5. Eyeing March: While Tuesday's game did not have any league complications, it was a good test for each team towards their prep for the district tournament. Both Liberty and Jerome were runner-ups in the district finals last year and on Tuesday, they both showed the characteristics towards an ability to return. Liberty will be well tested as they battle through the OCC Central and Jerome should be in the driver seat to repeat as OCC Cardinal champions. Expect each of these teams to compete for not only a top 10, but a top 5 seed in the district tournament. 

MVP: Ryan Nutter (Dublin Jerome senior guard with 20 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds)

Top Scorer: Nutter 

Hustle Player of the Game: Sasha Stavroff (Dublin Jerome senior guard with 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals)

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