SUNBURY, Ohio -- What started as a track meet ended in a heavyweight bout, as Delaware Hayes used a strong defensive second-half performance to hold off Big Walnut with a 50-44 defeat. It was the second straight competitive battle between these two, as the Pacers pulled away from the Golden Eagles in overtime early in the season, albeit without junior Landon Vanderwarker, who was Friday's lead scorer.

Both teams came out the starter blocks hot, as they combined for 28 points after the first four minutes. The pace would soon slow down to start the second quarter, as both teams entered the half at 26 a piece.

"I'm going to be honest, in the first quarter, I was like 'ok...I was hoping we can run', but the last three quarters are how I anticipated things to go," Hayes head coach Adam Vincenzo said after the game. "We're two physical teams, we know each other so well. There are a lot of seniors, a lot of juniors on our teams who have been playing against each other for so long."

It was perhaps the familiarity that allowed Big Walnut to limit the usually high-scoring Pacers, a team that has averaged just shy of 70 points per game, to an off-shooting night. Senior star and Ohio University commit Jesse Burris was held well below his average and finished with eight points, while Vanderwarker overcame a somewhat slow offensive start and scored ten of his 14 points in the second half. 

Although most of the outside shots weren't falling, the Pacers adjusted in the second half and found more success down low, which resulted in 17 attempts at the free throw line. 

"I thought we had poor shot selection in the second quarter, didn't play well with each other, we weren't moving well enough," Vincenzo said. "We locked in at halftime, talked about shot selection, get what we want and get in the post a bit more."

More importantly, the Pacers locked in defensively, as they prevented the Eagles from finding much long-range success, as they allowed just one made three and held them to just 18 overall points in the second half.

After the Pacers took an early 30-29 lead in the third quarter on a putback from senior Jake Lowman, the Pacers built up an eight-point advantage to end the period. In the fourth, a Brody Hatfield mid-range bank shot cut the deficit to just a point with 3:40 left in the game. It would stay a one-possession difference until sophomore Jeremiah Russell hit two free throws with under a minute to go to give the Pacers a 47-42 lead before ultimately ending the game with a six-point margin.

Russell was the only other Pacer to score in double digits, as he scored seven of his ten points in the first quarter.  Fellow sophomore Chase Griggs finished with eight as well, which included two of the Pacers' four total three-point makes. Vanderwarker also had a team-high eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Big Walnut received a balanced effort, as six players scored. They were led by Hatfield's 13 points, along with a strong effort from Trenton Minor, an Ashland commit, who had a near double-double with ten points and nine rebounds. Senior Graham Federer finished with nine points. 

Vincenzo came away admired by the physical team effort he's now seen first-hand from Big Walnut twice this season. 

"I've been impressed with them all year," Vincenzo said. "They're physical, they move well, score off the bounce, they're complete. They're a well-coached team."

The win for the Pacers (13-1, 7-1) gives them a little breathing room and currently share first place with Westerville North at the top of the league standings. All eyes will be on their next game against the Warriors when they host on Tuesday.

Big Walnut (10-4, 5-3) will try to bounce back in league play when they travel on Tuesday to Westerville South.

For more on Hayes' adversity-faced win, check out the 5 Keys To The Game

1. Defensive Duel - It wasn't just Burris that was held below his scoring average, but nearly all the key players from both squads were as well. Credit to both coaches that prepared for a clean, but physical approach that kept any of the opposing star players from going off. Before the Pacers held the Eagles to just five points in the third quarter, the Eagles limited the Pacers to the same amount in the second. Shots were mostly contested and there were hardly easy buckets inside the paint. It may have been a frustrating night offensively for some, but each player should be proud of their defensive effort.

2. Depth of Delaware - It's been the theme of the Pacers season, that any given game could be someone else's night. On Friday, you could argue that was the case with Vanderwarker, who led his team in most statistical categories. However, he wasn't alone and got timely contributions beyond the stat sheet from players like Russell, Griggs and Lowman. And although Burris didn't get into his usual offensive rhythm, he still did the little things such as keeping possessions alive and leading the defense. This type of depth and collective buy-in is what's gave the Pacers a near-undefeated season halfway through the year.

3. Stud Sophomores - The best guard play on Friday came at the hands of three second-year players. For Hayes, they received occasional bursts from Russell and Griggs, while Hatfield was the backcourt leader for the Eagles. All three players were supremely comfortable with the ball in their hands and made timely shots in a well-defended game. We feel confident these three guards will be names you'll hear quite often for the next couple of years.

4. Landon's Second Half - After he missed the first outing against the Eagles due to injury to begin the season, Big Walnut got their first taste of the sought-after junior on Friday. Vanderwarker had to get acclimated to the physicality of the Eagles himself and struggled with some first-half attempts. But the 6'7 forward, who can be a threat from distance and in the paint, made sound adjustments and used his strong frame inside that led to a much more productive second half. Even when shots weren't falling, Vanderwarker was a consistent defensive threat, an active rebounder and stayed determined to impact the game. This type of versatility is what has led him to be one of the top-ranked Ohio prospects in the 2025 class.

5. Division and District Outlook - There's still a good amount of conference play left, but it's beginning to look like a two-way race between Delaware Hayes and Westerville North in the OCC-Capital. The Pacers won the first bout and a win on Tuesday should give them a path to outright win the league. In any fashion, the Pacers have mostly found a way to win this season and have so far looked the part of a team that can claim their first district title since 1986. Don't also sleep on the Eagles come tournament time. Head coach Brett Bartlett has his own deep squad that features a mix of experienced seniors, but also talented underclassmen. Big Walnut should absolutely be in the mix to compete for a district title as well, which would be their first since 1997.