History Made: Delaware Hayes heads to their first state tournament
The Pacers take over in the second half and defeat Olentangy Orange 74-56
COLUMBUS, OH - In what could be argued as the biggest game in history between two Delaware County teams, second-seed Delaware Hayes used an explosive second-half to defeat top ranked Olentangy Orange 74-56 in the regional final at Ohio Dominican on Saturday.
The first half was the blockbuster heavyweight bout the sold out gym had come to expect, which started with a first quarter that had eight lead changes and two ties. A half-court heave at the buzzer from Hayes senior star Jesse Burris gave the Pacers an initial 22-17 lead.
Yet the Pioneers would respond in the second with a 12-2 run, powered by junior Devin Brown, who scored 12 of his game-high 21 points in the period. Hayes junior big Landon Vanderwarker, a second-team all-district selection, picked up an early second foul call that kept him on the bench for most of the quarter.
“It was hard because I trust Landon, but I know it’s a long game and I didn’t want to roll the dice,” Hayes head coach Adam Vincenzo said in regard to his decision to sit his six-foot-eight forward. “They were attacking the rim, I didn’t want him to get a third.”
Vanderwarker’s absence along with Orange’s hot shooting, who missed just two field goals in the period, led to a shift in the Pioneers favor as they carried a 39-35 lead into halftime.
“It was a game of runs, in that first quarter we were feeling each other out,” Vincenzo said. “In the second, they missed only two threes, everything was in the paint. So to start the second half, we went to our zone to change the pace, and man, did it change the pace.”
