C’view Knights crush Miller City 73-28

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

MILLER CITY — Crestview opened the 2018-2019 boys’ high school basketball season in dominating fashion with a 73-28 win at Miller City on Saturday.

In the process, Jalen Etzler surpassed the 1,000 career point mark and the Knights won nearly every statistical category. Crestview was 27-48 (56 percent) from the floor, including 12 of 23 (52 percent) from three point range. The Knights also enjoyed a commanding 40-19 rebounding advantage, including a 28-10 performance on the defensive end.

Derick Dealey scored the first five points of the game and Crestview charged out to a 14-0 first quarter lead, with the margin sitting at 20-9 after the opening period. Needing five points for 1,000, Javin Etzler hit the mark in the first quarter, and finished the game with 18. Dealey led all scorers with 20.

Each team managed 10 points in the second quarter, then the Knights flexed their muscles in the second half and outscored the Wildcats 43-9 in the final two periods.

Wade Sheets, who finished with 14, scored the first five points of the quarter and Dealey added a trey to put the lead to 38-19, and Crestview kept the ball rolling. At one point, Javin Etzler drilled back to back treys to expand the lead to 54-21.

Armed with a 57-25 lead entering the final period, the Knights outscored the hosts 16-3.

“Overall, I liked our approach,” Crestview head coach Jeremy Best said. “We settled down in second half and had much more purpose, and we are excited to get back into the gym and put together another week of preparation.”

Miller City (0-2) will host Ayersville on Friday, while Crestview (1-0) will play at Parkway on Saturday.

Scoring summary

Miller City  9 10   6   3 – 28
Crestview 20 10 27 16 – 73

Miller City: Luke Lammers 3-0-8; Isaac Fillinger 1-2-4; Austin Ruhe 6-1-14; N. Cabe 0-1-1; J. Koenig 0-1-1

Crestview: Kalen Etzler 2-2-6; Wade Sheets 6-0-14; Javin Etzler 7-0-18; Kaden Short 1-0-3; Brant Richardson 2-0-5; Michael Joseph 1-0-2; Carson Kreischer 1-2-4; Derick Dealey 7-2-20; Brody Brecht 0-1-1