Regional preview: Crestview vs. Hicksville

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

For the third consecutive game in the postseason, Crestview will face a team it played during the regular season.

The Knights (24-1) defeated Delphos St. John’s and Kalida in December and January, then topped both teams at the Elida district, paving the way for a rematch against Hicksville (23-2) at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Division IV regional semifinals at the Stroh Center at Bowling Green State University.

Both teams were ranked in the final Associated Press poll of the season, with Crestview finishing No. 2 and Hicksville No. 12.

When the two teams met on February 2, the Knights raced out to a 30-16 halftime lead and went on to win 60-35. Kalen Etzler scored 19 points, Wade Sheets finished with 15 and Kalen Etzler scored 14.

“They played really well in our first matchup,” Hicksville head coach Tony Tear said of Crestview. “They executed extremely well offensively and shot it really well. I thought they did a great job defensively as well, taking us out of what we wanted to do.”

“Hicksville was missing a key player (Travian Tunis) to an injury,” Crestview head coach Jeremy Best noted.

The Knights and Aces have taken different paths to get to the regional semifinals. After defeating Delphos St. John’s 53-34, Crestview held off Kalida 61-58 in double overtime, while Hicksville cruised to a pair of district wins at Napoleon, 53-38 over Edgerton and 68-51 over Pettisville.

During the regular season Crestview averaged 58.9 points per game and allowed 38 points per outing. In the tournament, the Knights are averaging 57 points per game and giving up 38 points per game.

The Aces averaged 55.7 points per game during the regular season and are averaging 63.7 points per game in the tournament. Defensively, Hicksville gave up 42.9 points per game during the regular season, compared to 45.7 in the tournament.

“Our guys have done a really nice job of locking into details defensively and moving the ball offensively,” Tear said. “Our communication defensively has been really solid and our unselfishness offensively has allowed us to execute and get great shots.”

Parker Thiel and Landon Turnbull are Hicksville’s leading scorers, averaging 16.2 and 15.8 points per game respectively. Thiel also leads the Aces in rebounding, at nine per game.

“I’m just proud of my guys for demonstrating their genuine care and concern for each other,” Best said. “This team has grown together, and focused on us. I’m also proud of our Crestview community for being loud and proud and loving this team.”

As expected, both coaches were complimentary of each other’s team, especially at this point of the tournament.

“I can say they are one of the most talented teams I have ever seen, especially at the Division IV level,” Tear said of Crestview. “They have everything – size, length, shooting, ball handling, great defense and a great offense. They are such a complete team, so hopefully we can make some adjustments and compete on Tuesday.”

“Well, Hicksville is another excellent basketball team, so that is more of a concern rather than if we’d played them earlier in the season,” Best said of the Aces. “This is a new day, new game.”

Both coaches also noted that defense will be a key factor in Tuesday’s game.

“We are going to have to be physical on defense and work to keep their guys from getting downhill on us into the paint and always have a hand in the Etzlers’ faces,” Tear explained. “We will also have to rebound the ball well, as they are great on the offensive boards.”

“Offensively we will have to be patient. With their length, they are so good defensively, so we will need to reverse the basketball in order to get good looks.”

“We need our defense to travel to Bowling Green with us,” Best said.

Tuesday’s Crestview-Hicksville game will air live on WKSD 99.7FM.

The winner will play Columbus Grove or Maumee Valley Country Day on Friday.