Game preview: Crestview vs. Ottoville

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

When Crestview and Ottoville met on the hardwood December 27, the Big Green scored four points in the final three seconds to win 52-48.

That was the last time the Knights lost a game. Since then, Crestview has won 16 straight, the Northwest Conference championship, a sectional championship and a rematch with Ottoville in Tuesday night’s Division IV district semifinals at Elida.

“I remember that we lost and after the game I told my guys that I would be able to sleep that night,” Crestview head coach Jeremy Best said of the regular season loss to Ottoville. “I told them this because I saw a collective look in their eyes that put me at peace. From that point on we were more honest and loyal to each other. More trust was developed and we began to love the process of going through this together.”

Crestview’s sectional championship victory on Friday wasn’t an easy one. Behind Javin Etzler’s 17 points, the Knights rallied to top Parkway 55-48. Crestview currently averages 64.5 points per game, and allows 44 points per outing.

Ottoville (18-5) defeated Fort Jennings 69-53 in the Van Wert sectional championship game on Friday, and the Big Green average 62 points per game, while allowing 52 points per contest. Logan Kemper leads the team in scoring with an average of 14.4 points per game, while Joshua Thornbahn averages 12.4 and Nick Moorman 11.1 points per game.

“Ottoville has all the pieces and ingredients you need to be a special team,” Best explained. “They have limited weaknesses.”

Like many other coaches this season, Ottoville head coach Keith Utendorf has concerns about Crestview.

“Obviously their length and athleticism is one of the biggest concerns that we have,” Utendorf said. “Their guards are quick and physical and their wings and posts are long and athletic with skill. Defensively, they are one of the better teams in the area regardless of division and when they get you to turn the basketball over, they seem to feed off of the momentum those create and the easy baskets off of it.”

“They have versatility with their length and depth to put you in match-up situations that are difficult to account for,” Utendorf added. “We have to handle their defensive pressure.”

The Ottoville head coach also said he believes both teams are different than they were when they met in late December.

“I think both teams have improved immensely since that earlier meeting,” Utendorf said. “They had some guys out that game still. When I watched it again the last couple of days it really was back and forth, tournament-style basketball game at the time. We made a run, they responded. They made a run, we responded. I hope the game on Tuesday night is the same way.”

The winner of Tuesday’s game will face the winner of Tuesday’s second game at Elida – Wayne Trace (18-5) or Hicksville (19-5) in Friday’s district championship game.

“I would say this district is as balanced as any Division IV district in Ohio,” Best said.

Both of Tuesday night’s games will air live on WKSD 99.7FM and will stream live at www.thevwindependent.com.