Elida defeats O-G

OTTAWA — Thwack.

That was the sound Ottawa-Glandorf heard when it tried to navigate the interior of the Elida defense.

Elida built up an early lead then turned things over to its defense in a 53-41 victory over O-G on Friday at Hermiller Gymnasium.

With Cory Royster taking up plenty of space inside, O-G tried to zig-zag its way around him. The problem was the Titans were running into Reggie McAdams (five blocks) and Ebin Stratton (three blocks).

Elida ended up with nine blocks and held O-G to a field-goal percentage of 27 percent. Elida started out hot, but ended up shooting 43 percent for the game.

“We played good enough defense throughout that game that we survived a poor shooting section of it,” Elida coach Denny Thompson said.

“I think our length was a big factor. When we didn’t block shots, we altered a lot of shots. We’re long underneath and we use it.”

Elida has won five in a row and is 14-2, 5-1 in the Western Buckeye League. O-G is 10-5, 4-2 in the WBL.

Elida won the boards, 36-30.

Dakota Mathias led the offense with 16 points, including hitting 7 of 8 at the foul line, all in the final quarter. McAdams had 15 points and 12 rebounds, along with the five blocks. Royster had 11 points and six boards.

Michael Rosebrock had 12 points for O-G. Noah Bramlage, a 6-foot-6 freshman, had eight points and seven rebounds.

Stratton led the team’s man-to-man defense by guarding T. J. Metzger and limiting him to eight points. Stratton had eight rebounds and three blocks.

“I try to play real hard every night. That’s what I hang my hat on is defense,” Stratton said. “That’s my game. I like doing that, whatever it takes my team to win.”

Elida ran out to a 15-2 lead with 3:39 left in the first quarter. Royster had five points and four rebounds at that point.

“I think we let them set the tone,” O-G coach Tyson McGlaughlin said. “Royster got a bucket right away to start the game and he kind of manhandled our guys. We got good looks, we just didn’t finish. ... Our heads got down and I think we panicked.”

In the second quarter, Elida rammed the ball inside, with two layups by Mathias and two layups by Royster.

Elida led 32-15 at the half. Of the Bulldogs’ 12 first-half baskets, six came on layups.

Elida led 34-19 with 4:04 left in the third when Royster went to the bench with four fouls. He returned to the floor with 4:36 to play and Elida’s lead was 41-29.

O-G got as close as 10, 47-37, with 1:02 to go.

“With Royster out, we still continued to play good defense,” Thompson said. “The key was not getting anyone fouled out. Ebin Stratton did a nice job tonight with a lot of energy to the perimeter, defensively.”