COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It's a Friday night. There is basketball in Columbus. It's officially lit. Let's take a look at the top games in the area from Friday.
Only scoring 35 points through three quarters on Friday, Westerville South got hot in a hurry in the fourth quarter in a 61-58 win over No. 8 Gahanna. Scoring 26 points in the final frame, Westerville South came from behind to take down Gahanna in thrilling fashion.
After Gahanna took the lead at 58-57 after four-straight points from Josh Corbin, Westerville South struck back behind a running floater from junior guard Jordan McMillian, which put the Wildcats ahead for good at 59-58 with 20 seconds remaining.
Gahanna would not score again, as the Lions struggled to not only get a good look, but to take care of the ball. Despite having a tremendous size advantage, Gahanna could not establish much of a presence on the offensive interior on Friday.
Starting five players under 6-foot-1, Westerville South rolled out a lineup that is much different from what the Wildcats have been used to in years past. The Wildcats assortment of guards applied great pressure defensively and were able to get out in transition for quick offense.
Knocking down eight threes as a team, McMillian led the way with 15 points, including eight in the fourth quarter to close out the game. McMillian's shot-making ability was important in the start and finish of the game, as he scored Westerville South's first seven points to get off to a hot start.
Junior forward Manny Sunnyway added 12 points for the Cats, who were outrebounded 32-19. Senior guard Elton Sunnyway and junior guard Ryan Greggs each added nine points, while junior guard Jacob Singleton pitched in seven points off the bench.
Singleton knocked down a deep three with a little more than a minute to go to give Westerville South its first lead of the second half at 55-54.
For Gahanna, Corbin led all scorers with 20 points. A terrific shot maker who can get any shot that he wants on the floor, Corbin scored his last six points at the free-throw line, as Westerville South worked hard to get the ball out of his hands.
Senior forward Nate Ward added 12 points while seniors Mike Reeves and Cameren Carlisle each finished with eight points. Carlisle was very strong off the bench, adding a game-high nine rebounds.
With the win, Westerville South picks up some great momentum as the Cats replace all five starters from last year's team. Sporting a new identity and style of play, Westerville South will look to continue to grow as a team as this could be longtime headman Ed Calo's most challenging coaching job in recent memory.
In a high scoring affair at Groveport, Westerville Central avenged an overtime loss to the Cruisers last season, relying on 27 points from senior guard Thomas Hickman in a 78-60 win on the road. The Warhawks dominated the offensive glass in the win, as senior forwards Josh McDaniel and Solomon Wells combined for 28 points. Groveport was led by senior guard Tyreese Cherry, who finished with 25 points.
In a matchup of two of the area's top Division III teams coming into the season, Johnstown got rolling early, winning handily over Worthington Christian on the road. Junior forward Owen Hazelbaker led the way with 20 points as Johnstown put the clamps on Worthington Christian. The Johnnies will look to defend home court on Wednesday against City League rival South.
With state title expectations for the season, Wellington got off to a great start on Friday, taking down Maumee Valley behind 25 points from senior guard and Air Force signee Solomon Pierre-Louis. In a matchup against the top sophomore guard in the state in Zeb Jackson, Wellington would limit Jackson to 19 points in the win at home. Wellington will look to win again at home on Tuesday as neighborhood rival Upper Arlington comes down Reed Road for a big-time non-conference tilt.
Bloom-Carroll sophomores Markeece Brown and Otto Kuhns grew up quickly on the road against Vinton County, combining for 46 points in a big-time win. Kuhns scored all 21 of his points in the second half, while Brown wasted no time being productive in his Bloom-Carroll debut after transferring from Licking Heights. Despite graduating the majority of last year's district title production, Bloom-Carroll has a strong sophomore duo to rely on for the next three years.
Olentangy Orange carried the momentum from a strong preseason into the opener on the road at New Albany. Senior guard Matt McCollum scored a career-high 18 points as the Pioneers took down New Albany on the road. Orange will look to carry that momentum into a season where the Pioneers will fight to be among the top half of the OCC-Buckeye.
Independence got hot from behind the arc on Friday, hitting 11-of-20 threes in a 68-65 win over Delaware Hayes. Senior guards James Cochran and Jaylen Pellom combined for 25 points, while junior post Benjamin James added a team-high 14 points. For Delaware, junior forward Terin Kinsway led the way with 19 points. Delaware will play Grove City on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Mifflin picked up a great opening win on the road at Grove City, jumping out early on the Greyhounds in a 65-47 victory. Six players for Mifflin scored at least eight points, as seniors Kelvin Frempong and Dayquan Eddins led the way with 11 points each. With the win, Mifflin moves on to play Independence on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Grove City.
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