Newark sounds alarm after slow start in boys basketball win at Groveport
GROVEPORT — In Jeff Quackenbush’s career spanning four decades as a player and coach, he has experienced most everything — even a fire drill.
It happened again Tuesday as the Newark boys basketball JV team was finishing its game at Groveport. Shortly thereafter, the varsity Wildcats started slowly, but a pep talk from Quackenbush during an early timeout shook them from their doldrums.
“It took us a little bit to get our motor started," Quackenbush said. "It’s a Tuesday night, and we had the fire drill. We had a fire drill in Gahanna a long, long time ago. … We gave up too many layups early.”
Newark trailed 6-3 less than four minutes into the game on three scores in the paint from 6-foot-4 junior Jaquan Ingram, causing Quackenbush to take a timeout and have a pointed discussion with his Wildcats. They answered with a 9-0 run and never trailed again.
Newark (10-1, 4-0) was a blistering 10 for 15 from 3-point range and held Groveport (5-6, 1-3) to 35% from the field in a 58-27 victory. The Wildcats, who are tied for No. 11 in Division I in the first state Associated Press poll released Monday, maintained a one-game lead in the Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Division ahead of Pickerington Central and Reynoldsburg.
“We had to get the energy going,” sophomore guard Ty Gilbert said. “Defensively, we had to get some stops, and the offense will come.”
Gilbert was responsible for four of Newark’s 10 hits from 3-point range. After making his mark as a 3-point specialist as a freshman, he had a cold start to his season and recently missed two games due to a concussion.
Gilbert started Newark’s 9-0 run with a 3 from the left corner. He later hit three more in the second half, including one just a few feet from Quackenbush to beat the third-quarter buzzer.
“He came back and didn’t shoot it too well last weekend, which you can imagine having to sit two games,” Quackenbush said. “Tonight, he was open once, and I got on him that he needs to shoot. He started making them. We need him to make shots because it gives (Steele Meister) more one-on-one opportunities.”
Meister also hit a pair of 3s and again scored from all three levels, totaling a game-high 22 points. That came on the heels of his 29-point performance against Mount Vernon last Saturday, which included scoring the Wildcats' final 22 points.
Gilbert was next at 14 points for the Wildcats, who led 28-14 at halftime and then scored the first eight points of the third quarter.
“(Quackenbush’s confidence) allows me to just go and play,” Gilbert said. “I can shoot and not think about messing up or making mistakes. I can just go have fun.”
Newark’s defense was in control once it got a handle on Ingram. With the Wildcats protecting their paint, the Cruisers were forced to step outside and missed all nine of their 3-point attempts.
The Cruisers, who were led by Ingram’s 10 points, were held under 30 points for the first time this season.
“It was hard sitting out watching,” said Gilbert, who made three steals. “Once you start getting on a roll and winning, you just want to keep going. It starts becoming a lot more fun.”
Sophomore Jake Quackenbush added 9 points and five assists, Meister nine rebounds and junior Kalen Winbush three steals for Newark, which continues a busy start to January this weekend. The Wildcats visit Pickerington North on Friday and play Austintown-Fitch at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Ohio Dominican.
Jeff Quackenbush noted after the game he only talks for 30 seconds postgame win or lose. It took only 30 seconds to get the Wildcats on their way to win No. 10 on Tuesday.
“Something we need to learn from this game is we had way too many turnovers (17), and they do that to you,” Quackenbush said. “They make you play faster than you want sometimes. We have to take care of the ball. We ran offense with better pace in the second half.”
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark sounds alarm in boys basketball win at Groveport
