Banaszak and Wells Earn All-OAC Honors
Written March 4, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein seniors Ross Banaszak and Adam Wells were named to All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) teams in men’s basketball, the OAC released today.

Banaszak, a point guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes High School), was named to the first team. Wells, a shooting guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), landed on the honorable mention team. The pair sits one, two in scoring in the OAC.

Banaszak, a three-time All-OAC pick, leads the OAC in scoring, 19.2 points a game, and minutes played, averaging 38.8 per outing. The point guard sits second in the OAC in steals (1.9/game); third in assists (4.9/game) and free-throw percentage (86.0); seventh in three-point field-goal percentage (41.8); and tenth in made three-pointers (2.1/game).

Wells leads the OAC in made three-pointers, averaging 3.6 per game, which is ninth best in NCAA Division III basketball through games of March 2. Wells ranks second in the OAC in scoring (18.9/game) and sixth in minutes played (33.0/game).

Both players hit the 1,000-point career mark this season.

Banaszak finishes his career with 1,388 points and 359 assists. He set a school career record for free-throw accuracy, hitting 294 of 336 attempts for 87.5 percent.

Wells Hits 1,000 in His Final Game
Written Feb. 24, 2008 by Brett Rybak

Wells drives to the basket in second-half action Saturday.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, a winner in two of its last three games, fell on “Senior Night” to cross-town foe and eighth-ranked Capital, 87-77, Saturday night in Westerville.

Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood High School), became the second Cardinal this year to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), did it earlier this year. Wells topped the mark on a career-high 36 points, including a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, while Banaszak added 18 in his final game in an Otterbein uniform. Banaszak finished his career with 1,368 points, good for 13th in school history.

“Both played very hard and finished their career very respectfully,” said 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds. “Both have represented the program very well for four years and we were glad to have them as a part of Otterbein basketball.”

The Crusaders jumped out to a 21-11 lead before the Cards were able to go on a 16-6 run, including two three-pointers from Wells, to tie the game at 27 with 4:11 left in the first half. Capital would answer back with an 18-7 spurt of its own to take a 45-34 lead into halftime.

The second stanza would start with both teams going cold from the field before Capital opened up a 58-41 lead at the 11:13 mark. Wells and Banaszak would score 15 of the Cards next 23 points to bring Otterbein within nine with 4:33 to play. The Cards would cut the Crusader lead to seven on a three-pointer by Wells with 0:59 left in regulation to give him exactly 1,000 points for his career. Otterbein would not be able to make it any closer as Capital would go on to win by 10.

The Crusaders placed five players in double-figure scoring. Ross Niekamp, a junior forward from St. Henry, led the way with 20 points off the bench while Steve Kyser, a senior forward from Sylvania (Southview), added 13, including 8-of-8 from the free-throw line.

The Cardinals (7-17), tied for eighth in the OAC standings at 6-11, endured a rough start to the season as they collected only three wins in their first 16 games. They enter the season finale, however, playing their best basketball, including an 80-67 victory over Wilmington Wednesday, and are fighting for the last spot in the OAC Tournament, which is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

Capital (20-4), the OAC regular-season champion at 15-2 and ranked nationally, fell to Heidelberg, 80-74, at home Wednesday.

Ottebein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, raced out of the locker room at halftime and went on a 27-7 run to turn a one-point deficit at the half into a 19-point lead over the Quakers with 9:53 left in the game played Wednesday in Wilmington. Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London (London High School), started the run with a three-pointer and ended it with a pair of free throws.

Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), led the Cardinal attack with 28 points, including 5 of 10 from three-point land, and Pollock added 24 points, going 9 of 10 from the foul line.

Capital, under 14th-year head coach Damon Goodwin, never recovered after the Student Princes hit a three-pointer with 12:29 remaining in the second half, giving them a 55-53 lead Wednesday. The Crusaders closed to within one at 71-70, but Heidelberg held Capital to four points the rest of the way. Nate Stahl, a junior wing from Saint Henry, led Capital with 15 points.

Entering midweek, the Cardinals’ Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 19.3 points a game; and ranked second in steals (1.96 a game), second in free-throw percentage (80 of 93 for 86.0 percent), third in assists (4.96 a game), fourth in three-point field-goal percentage (51 of 116 for 44.0 percent) and eighth in made three-point field goals (2.22 a game).

Otterbein’s Wells led the conference in three-point field-goals made (3.37 a game), and ranked second in scoring (18.0 a game).

Cards Turn Back Yellow Jackets
Written Feb. 13, 2008 by Brett Rybak

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – The Otterbein Cardinals jumped out to a 45-33 halftime lead and cruised to a 94-84 victory over Baldwin-Wallace in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play Wednesday in the Rike Center.

The Cardinals hit 15 three-pointers and shot 53.4 percent from the field while limiting Baldwin-Wallace to 44.9 percent from the field and only 8 of 27 from behind the arc.

Brian Pollock, a junior guard from London, scored a career-high 28 points while Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood High School), also added 28. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), chipped in 21. The trio combined to shoot 14 of 25 from behind the three-point line and 15 of 16 from the free-throw line.

The Cardinals finished the first half on a 24-12 run over the final 8:38. The lead grew to 15 with 13:19 left in the second half before Baldwin-Wallace went on a 7-0 run over the next 2:55 to pull within eight points, 61-53, with 10:24 to play. That was as close as the Yellow Jackets would get in the second half as Otterbein made 12 of 15 free throws over the remainder of the game.

Pollock and Wells led the Cardinals, combining to shoot 18 of 33 from the field while Banaszak finished 6 of 9, including 5 of 6 from three-point land. Sean Cross, a junior Center from Millersburg (West Holmes), added a career-high 14 rebounds in the win.

Kyle Brown, a sophomore forward from Strongsville, led the Yellow Jackets with 19 points while Louis Tumblin, a sophomore guard from Elyria (Senior), added 14.

The Cardinals (5-16), ninth in the conference standings at 4-10, traveled to Alliance on Saturday and lost to Mount Union, 76-71. Baldwin-Wallace (8-13), tied for seventh in the OAC with Mount Union at 5-9, dropped a league contest at Wilmington on Saturday, 70-60.

Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, took its first lead of the game at Mount Union, 48-47, at the 14:50 mark of the second half on a jumper by Frank Hall, a junior forward from Plain City (Jonathan Alder). The Cardinals built the lead to six and maintained it until Mount Union hit a three-pointer with 5:05 remaining in the game to take the lead 68-66. Hall tied it at 68 on a lay-up, but the Purple Raiders pulled away in the final minutes. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), 18 points and six assists, and Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, 17 points, led the Cards. 

Baldwin-Wallace, under 28th-year head coach Steve Bankson, fell behind by as many as 17 to Wilmington in the second half last Saturday and could never get closer than eight points. Kyle Brown, a sophomore wing from Strongsville, led the Yellow Jackets with 12 points.

The Cardinals lost in overtime, 93-87, to the Yellow Jackets in the season’s first meeting in Berea Jan. 9. Baldwin-Wallace put together a 21-11 run in the final 10:27 to send the game to overtime. Otterbein scored the first two points of overtime, but Baldwin-Wallace grabbed the lead for good with 2:32 left. Banaszak led the Cards with 21 points 

Entering the week, Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 20.3 points a game; and ranked second in steals (2.05 a game), second in free-throw percentage (71 of 82 for 86.6 percent), third in assists (5.20 a game), sixth in three-point field-goal percentage (44 of 103, 42.7 percent) and eighth in made three-point field goals (2.20 a game).

Otterbein’s Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), led the conference in made three-point field goals (3.19 a game), and ranked third in scoring (17.0 a game).

Baldwin-Wallace’s Brendan Schuler, a senior guard from Fairview Park (Fairview), ranked seventh in the OAC in scoring (14.9 a game), second in assists (5.71 a game) and second in three-point field-goal percentage (40 of 83 for 48.2 percent). Tyler Sekerak, a senior guard from Corry, Penn., led the conference in steals (2.29 a game).

Otterbein travels to Tiffin to square off against Heidelberg this Saturday while Baldwin-Wallace hosts Muskingum. Tip-off for both is scheduled for 3 p.m.

The Cardinals (5-14), tied for seventh in the conference standings with Baldwin-Wallace at 4-8, bounced back from a disappointing overtime loss to Marietta to defeat Muskingum in overtime on Saturday, 83-79. Ohio Northern (11-8), tied for third in the OAC at 7-5, dropped a league contest to Baldwin-Wallace on Saturday, 82-69.

In a nip-and-tuck game throughout against Muskingum in New Concord, neither team led by more than six points. Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), hit a three-pointer with two seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. The game continued to go back and forth in overtime until Frank Hall, a junior forward from Plain City (Jonathan Alder), snared an offensive rebound and was fouled with 54 seconds left. Hall hit both free throws to give Otterbein a one-point lead and the Cardinals strung four more free throws together to wrap up the game. 

Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), led four Cardinals in double figures with 32 points, including four three-pointers, along with eight assists. Wells chipped in 17 points, and Hall and Sean Cross, a junior center from Millersburg (West Holmes), added 10 points apiece. Banaszak, who tallied 56 points and 16 assists over the two overtime games last week, was named OAC “player of the week”.

Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, lost the first matchup of the season against Ohio Northern in Ada, 78-72, Dec. 12. The Polar Bears never trailed in the game and led by as many as 14 points late in the second half. Banaszak led five Cardinals in double figures with 21 points.

Ohio Northern, under third-year head coach Jeff Coleman, fell behind early to Baldwin-Wallace and never regained the lead en route to an 82-69 defeat Saturday in Berea. Five Polar Bears scored in double figures in the losing effort. Kyle Meyer, a sophomore wing from Columbus Grove, notched his second career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Entering the week, Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 20.7 points a game, and free-throw percentage making 65 of 74 attempts for 87.8 percent; and ranked second in steals (2.11 a game), third in assists (5.17 a game), fourth in three-point field-goal percentage (43 of 96, 44.8 percent) and fifth in made three-point field goals (2.39 a game).

Ohio Northern’s Kyle Gehle, a senior wing from Versailles, ranked fourth in the league in scoring (16.8 points a game), third in free-throw percentage (64 of 76 for 84.2 percent) and second in three-point field goals made (2.74 a game).

This Saturday, Otterbein travels to Alliance to square off against the Purple Raiders of Mount Union while Ohio Northern hosts John Carroll. Both games are scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

OAC Names Banaszak Player of the Week 
Written Feb. 6, 2008 by Ed Syguda

Banaszak makes a pass against Marietta.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Ross Banaszak, a senior point guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “player of the week” in men’s basketball, the OAC released Monday. This marked the second time this season the senior has earned the honor.

Banaszak scored 56 points, handed out 16 assists and made 18 of 20 free-throw attempts over two games last week. He hit four three-pointers on his way to 32 points in an 83-79 single-overtime win at Muskingum Saturday. Against Marietta, a 96-95 single-overtime loss last Wednesday, Banaszak collected 24 points and eight assists, and made all eight of his free-throw attempts.

Cards Lose Thriller in OT
Written Jan. 30, 2008 by Aurelio Ruiz

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, coming off a victory over John Carroll Saturday, lost an overtime thriller, 96-95, to Marietta Wednesday night in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) action at the Rike Center.

Trailing 80-70 with 5:11 left in the second half, Otterbein went on a 12-2 run thanks to 10 points from Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes High School), to tie the game at 82 with 1:32 left in regulation.  With 26 seconds to play, and Marietta up, 85-82, Otterbein’s Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Lakewood), was fouled on a three-point attempt, sending him to the foul line for three shots.  Wells made all three, tying the game at 85 to send it into overtime.

Otterbein scored the first five points in overtime, all by Wells—a three-pointer and two free throws—to take a 90-85 lead with 4:04 remaining. Marietta mounted a 10-3 run to regain the lead, 95-93, with 41 seconds to play. Banaszak sank two free throws to tie the game at 95 with 29 seconds left on the clock.  Marietta’s Adam Rockhold, a senior forward from Olmstead Falls, drove the lane and was fouled with three second to play.  After missing his first free-throw attempt, Rockhold made the second to put Marietta up by one. Otterbein’s Sean Cross, a junior center from Millersburg (West Holmes), just missed a short jumper as time expired.

Both teams shot well from the field. Marietta shot 50.8 percent (33 of 65) for the game, including 42.9 percent (12 of 28) from three-point range. The Cardinals shot 49.2 percent (32 of 65) from the field and 36.0 percent (9 of 25) from beyond the three-point line. Otterbein made 22 of 24 free-throw attempts for 91.7 percent.

Wells led Otterbein in scoring with 26 points, including a perfect 9-for-9 performance at the free-throw line. Banaszak added 24 points and a game-high eight assists while Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, scored 21 points, including 6 of 7 from beyond the three-point arc.

Jordan Cox, a freshman guard from West Union, led Marietta with 21 points.  Daun Lutes, a junior forward from New Matamoras, and Isaiah Creasap, a junior guard from Wooster, each scored 16.

OAC Names Wells Player of the Week
Written Jan. 29, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “player of the week” in men’s basketball, the OAC released Monday.

Wells led four Cardinals in double figures with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, including 6 of 10 from three-point land, in a 98-73 win over John Carroll last Saturday in Westerville. Otterbein made 18 three-point baskets in the win to set a school single-game record.

The senior guard started Otterbein’s three-point barrage, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to open the game and scoring 11 of the team’s first 16 points.

Cards to Host Marietta
Written Jan. 29, 2008 by Steve Cawley

WESTERVILLE, OHIO--Otterbein hosts the Pioneers of Marietta, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

The Cardinals, 4-13 overall and 3-7 in the OAC (eighth), broke a four-game losing streak in a big way by setting a new single-game record for three-point field goals made in a game, 18, in a 98-73 victory over John Carroll Saturday night at the Rike Center. Marietta, 5-12 overall and 1-9 in the OAC (10th), dropped its second in a row by losing to Ohio Northern Saturday, 80-56.

The three-pointer was the main weapon for Otterbein Saturday night as seven different Cardinals hit a three-ball. Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), started the barrage by hitting back-to-back three-pointers to open the game and scoring 11 of the team’s first 16 points as the Cardinals went on a 16-6 run in the first six and half minutes of the game and never trailed in the contest. Wells was selected OAC “player of the week”.

Wells led four Cardinals in double figures with 27 points on 10-of -16 shooting from the field, including 6 of 10 from three-point land. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), contributed 22 points, including four three-pointers, and dished out six assists. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), chipped in 12 points and Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London (London), added 10 points and six assists. 

Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, won the first matchup of the season against Marietta at Fenton Court in Marietta, 71-61. Wells hit a pair of free throws to put the Cardinals up eight with 1:17 to play in the game and then Banaszak converted a steal and lay-up to seal the victory for the Cardinals. Banaszak led a balanced Cardinal attack with 18 points.

The Pioneers, under first-year head coach Jon VanderWal, fell behind by 10 points early to Ohio Northern and couldn’t overcome the deficit, eventually trailing by as many as 27 points. Isaiah Creasap, a junior guard from Wooster (Northwestern), paced Marietta with 13 points.

Entering the week, Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 19.8 points a game, and free-throw percentage, making 47 of 54 attempts for 87.0 percent; and ranked second in steals (2.06 a game), fourth in assists (4.81 a game), eighth in three-point field-goal percentage (37 of 84, 44.0 percent) and sixth in three-point field goals made (2.31 a game).

Ratai ranked fourth in the league in field-goal percentage, making 67 of 111 shots for 60.4 percent; and 10th in free-throw percentage, making 41 of 54 attempts for 75.9 percent.

Creasap led the conference in three-point field goals made (3.14 a game); and ranked seventh in scoring (14.6 points a game), seventh in free-throw percentage (31 of 40 for 77.5 percent) and 10th in three-point field-goal percentage (44 of 108 for 40.7 percent). Adam Rockhold, a senior center from Olmsted Falls (Olmsted Falls), led the OAC in rebounding, averaging 10.8 a game.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein Cardinals used the three-point shot to jump out to a quick lead against John Carroll and cruised to a 98-73 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) victory on Saturday at the Rike Center.

In the process, the Cardinals set a new school single-game record for three-point field goals made in a game with 18 as seven different Cardinals hit a three-point field goal. The previous single-game record of 13 was set against Fontbonne in the 2003-04 season.

Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), started the three-point barrage hitting back-to-back three-pointers to open the game and scoring 11 of the team’s first 16 points as the Cardinals went on a 16-6 run in the first six and half minutes of the game and never trailed in the contest.

Otterbein continued the torrid start after John Carroll cut the lead to six, 16-10, at the 12:50 mark as they proceeded to finish the first half on a 41-16 run. The Cardinals splintered the nets by making 20 of 27 shots from the field for 74.1 percent, including 7 of 10 from behind the three-point line. Wells ended up 4 of 5 from behind the arc and led the Cardinals with 19 first-half points.

The lead grew to as many as 39 with 12:34 left in the second half when Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London (London), hit his second three-ball of the night.

Wells led four Cardinals in double figures with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, including 6 of 10 from three-point land. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), contributed 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including four three-pointers, and dished out six assists. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), chipped in 12 points and Pollock added 10 points and six assists.

Terry Walsh, a senior forward from Lakewood (Cleveland St. Ignatius), led John Carroll with 27 points going 9 of 15 from the field and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line.

Otterbein moves to 4-13 overall and 3-7 in the OAC with the victory. John Carroll falls to 9-7 overall and 6-4 in the OAC.

Cards Host John Carroll as OAC Play Enters 2nd Round
Written Jan. 25, 2008 by Steve Cawley

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein hosts the Blue Streaks of John Carroll in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) contest, 7:30 p.m., Saturday in the Rike Center.

The Cardinals suffered their fourth-consecutive OAC loss, 86-57, Saturday afternoon to then 13th-ranked Capital at the Cap Center. John Carroll scored 20 of the game’s final 30 points to escape New Concord with a 73-66 victory over host Muskingum Wednesday evening.

Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, carries a 3-13 overall record and a 2-7 league record into the game. The Cardinals sit in a tie for ninth in the conference standings. John Carroll carries a four-game conference winning streak into the contest and sits in third place in the OAC at 6-3, 9-6 overall.

John Carroll won the first matchup of the season, 85-71, against the Cardinals in University Heights on Dec. 1. The Blue Streaks went on a 14-6 run to open the game and led the entire way. Otterbein cut the lead to one on a pair of free throws by Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), midway through the second half, but could never get over the hump. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), did not play in the game. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), led Otterbein with 19 points and 10 rebounds.    

Last Saturday, Capital opened the game by scoring 17 unanswered points as Otterbein did not score in the first nine minutes of the game. Ray Welch, a freshman guard from Lewis Center (Olentangy), hit a three-pointer to put the Cardinals on the scoreboard with 10:45 remaining in the first half. Banaszak led Otterbein with 20 points.

John Carroll, under 16th-year head coach Mike Moran, used an 8-0 run that started with 4:25 remaining in the game to take the lead for good, 61-56, against Muskingum Wednesday. Derek Smith, a senior center from Lisbon (Beaver Local), scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds to pace the Blue Streaks.

At midweek, Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 19.6 points a game, and free-throw percentage, making 43 of 50 attempts for 86.0 percent; and ranked second in steals (2.07 a game), fourth in assists (4.73 a game), eighth in three-point field-goal percentage (33 of 78, 42.3 percent) and seventh in three-pointers made (2.20 a game).

Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London (London), ranked fourth in free-throw percentage, making 30 of 36 attempts for 83.3 percent.

John Carroll’s Terry Walsh, a senior forward from Lakewood (Cleveland St. Ignatius), ranked second in scoring, averaging 17.5 points a game, and led the league in field-goal percentage, making 57 of 85 shots from the field for 67.1 percent. Walsh also ranked sixth in rebounding (7.0 a game), seventh in assists (3.20 a game) and eighth in free-throw percentage (62 of 78 for 79.5 percent).

13th-Ranked Crusaders Turn Back Cardinals
Written Jan. 19, 2008 by Aurelio Ruiz

COLUMBUS, OHIO—The Otterbein Cardinals suffered their fourth-consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) loss, 86-57, Saturday afternoon to 13-th ranked Capital at the Cap Center.

Capital opened the game by scoring 17 unanswered points.  Otterbein did not score in the first nine minutes of the game.  Ray Welch, a freshman guard from Lewis Center (Olentangy), hit a three-pointer to put Otterbein on the scoreboard with 10:45 remaining in the first-half.  The Crusaders would eventually build a 31-point lead, taking advantage of Otterbein turnovers.  At the end of the first period, Capital led 44-12.

The second-half saw much of the same, as the Cardinals, who shot only 29.7 percent from the floor, could not find a way to stop the balanced scoring attack of Capital.  Despite just 12 points in the first half, the Cardinals rebounded with 45 points in the second half, but the Capital lead proved to be too much.

Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), led the Cardinals with 20 points and was perfect from the free-throw line, making all five of his attempts.  Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), added 17 points.

D.J. Frazier, a freshman guard from Cincinnati (Withrow), led the Crusaders with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor.  Steve Kyser, a senior post from Sylvania (Southview), chipped in 11 rebounds.

With the loss, the Cardinals fall to 3-13 overall and 2-7 in the OAC.  The win moves Capital to 13-2 overall and 8-0 in the OAC.

Cards Fall to Wilmington
Written Jan. 16, 2008 by Aurelio Ruiz

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein Cardinals suffered their third-straight Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) loss, 79-65, to Wilmington College Wednesday night at the Rike Center.

After an 8-0 Wilmington run to open the game, the Cardinals trailed, 24-12, with 8:46 to play in the first half. The Cardinals then mounted a 13-2 run, which was capped off with a three-pointer by Adam Wells, a senior from Newark (Lakewood), making the score 26-25.  Antonio Crowe, a sophomore from Fostoria, added a fast-break dunk during the late first-half run.  Wilmington led at the break 30-27.

To start the second half, Wells hit a three-pointer, his fourth of the game, to tie the score at 30.  The Cardinals battled and eventually took their first lead on a three-pointer by Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, with 16:01 to play in the game, making the score 37-36.  The Quakers scored the next eight points to take the lead for good.

Pollock led the Cardinals with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting, making four three-pointers.  Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), added 15 points, while Wells chipped in 14.  Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), contributed 10 points and pulled down eight boards.

Wilmington’s scoring was led by Brandon Rogers, a sophomore forward from Xenia.  Rogers shot 7 of 10 from the floor on his way to 20 points, and collected 10 rebounds.  Justin Gains, a junior guard from Cincinnati, and Kerry Wilkinson, a junior guard from Wilmington, each scored 13 points.  Gains also dished out five assists.

With the loss, the Cardinals fall to 3-12 overall and 2-6 in the OAC.  The win moves Wilmington to 10-5 overall and 5-3 in the OAC.

Cards to Host Wilmington
Written Jan. 15, 2008 by Steve Cawley

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein welcomes the Wilmington Quakers to the Rike Center, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

Both squads come into the game off of OAC losses and searching for a conference victory--the Cardinals dropping a league game to Heidelberg, 82-72, Saturday while Wilmington lost at Mount Union, 63-59.  

Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds and sitting eighth in the conference standings, carries a 3-11 overall record and a 2-5 league record into the contest. Wilmington, loser of two straight conference games, sits fifth in the league at 4-3 and 9-5 overall.

The game presents an intriguing matchup of contrasting styles of play as Otterbein sits third in the league in scoring offense (80.1 points a game) while Wilmington leads the league in scoring defense (65.5 points a game).

Against Heidelberg, the Cardinals trailed from the start as Heidelberg jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back, leading by as many as 23 points early in the second half. Otterbein cut into the lead late in the second half, but could never narrow the margin below 10. Otterbein’s Ross Banaszak, a senior point guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), hit 4 of 6 three-point shots and led the Cardinals with 19 points. He also snared eight rebounds and dished out three assists.

Otterbein also received double-figure marks from Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, 12, and Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), 11. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), shared the rebounding lead with Banaszak with eight. 

Wilmington, under first-year head coach K.C. Hunt, squandered a nine-point lead in the closing minutes against Mount Union on Saturday, being outscored 18-5 in the final 5:37. They led 54-45 when Scott Walters, a senior forward from Mentor (Perry), hit a free throw with 5:37 to play.

Brandon Rogers, a sophomore forward from Xenia, paced the Quakers with 16 points.    

Coming into the week, Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 19.9 points a game, and free-throw percentage, making 36 of 43 attempts for 83.7 percent; and ranked second in steals (2.38 a game), fourth in assists (5.08 a game), seventh in three-point field-goal percentage (31 of 70, 44.3 percent), and tied for fifth in three-point field goals made (2.38 a game).

Ray Welch, a freshman guard from Lewis Center (Olentangy), led the league in three-point field-goal percentage, making 11 of 17 for 64.7 percent.

Wilmington’s Fred Harrison, a senior guard from Cleveland (Cleveland East), ranked fourth in the OAC in steals (2.07 a game), and third in blocks (1.86 a game).

The Cardinals swept the season series with Wilmington in 2006-07, including a three-point victory on the Quakers home floor.

On Saturday, Otterbein travels to face its cross-town rival Capital. The Cardinals and Crusaders faced each other three times in 2006-07. They split the regular-season matchup while Capital knocked Otterbein out of the OAC Tournament in the semifinals. Wilmington travels to John Carroll Saturday.

Cards Fall to Heidelberg in the Rike
Written Jan. 12, 2008 by Aurelio Ruiz

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein Cardinals, led by 19 points from Ross Banaszak, lost their second straight Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) game, falling to Heidelberg, 82-72, Saturday evening in the Rike Center.

The Student Princes opened the game with an 8-0 run and would eventually take a 45-28 lead into halftime.  The balanced scoring attack of Heidelberg—four players scoring in double digits—continued into the second half as they would lead by as many 21 points with 16:28 to play in the game.  The Cardinals would begin to gain ground on Heidelberg, but could come no closer than within the 10-point margin at the end of the game.

The Cardinals were led by Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), who collected 19 points and eight rebounds.  Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, and Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Lakewood), contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Heidelberg’s Brian Schmidt, a senior center from Hinckley, scored 24 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the floor and had seven rebounds.  Andrew Lemmon, a senior guard from Port Clinton, hit 8 of 12 shots from the floor on his way to 17 points and a game-high 19 rebounds.  Greg Tyson, a senior guard from Lima, came off the bench to contribute 19 points.

With the loss, the Cardinals fall to 3-11 overall and 2-5 in the OAC.  The win moves Heidelberg, 11-2 overall and 5-1 in the OAC, into a tie for second place in the OAC.

Cards to Host Heidelberg in OAC contest
Written Jan. 10, 2008 by Steve Cawley

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein hosts the Student Princes of Heidelberg in Saturday's Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

The two teams come into Saturday’s play on opposite sides of the spectrum. The Cardinals enter tonight’s game coming off a tough road loss at Baldwin-Wallace losing 93-87 in overtime, while Heidelberg defeated John Carroll 104-72 at home.

Otterbein, sitting in eighth place (2-4) in the OAC under 36^th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, carry a 3-10 overall record into tonight’s contest. Heidelberg, winner of three straight conference games, sits in third place in the league with a 4-1 record and stand 10-2 overall.

Saturday’s contest features two of the top three scoring teams in the league. The Student Princes lead the league in scoring offense average 83.4 points a game. Otterbein holds down the third spot at 80.7 points a contest.

The Cardinals led by 12 over Baldwin-Wallace at halftime Wednesday night, but could not hold on as the Yellow Jackets put together a 21-11 run in the final 10:27 to send the game to overtime. Otterbein scored the first two points of overtime, but Baldwin-Wallace grabbed the lead for good with 2:32 left. Otterbein’s Ross Banaszak, a senior point guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), hit 8 of 14 shots from the field to post a team high 21 points.

Ray Welch, a freshman guard from Lewis Center (Olentangy), came off the bench to score a career high 17 points as he hit 5 of 7 from three-point range. Alan Kavanaugh, a freshman forward from Dayton (Centerville), chipped in 12 points and grabbed a team high nine rebounds – both career highs.

Heidelberg, under 7^th-year head coach Duane Sheldon, went on a 24-7 run with 9:56 to play in the first half, and led 51-27 at the break over John Carroll on Wednesday. Andrew Lemmon, a senior guard from Port Clinton (Port Clinton), led Heidelberg with a double, double - 20 points and 12 rebounds.    

Entering Saturday’s conference play, Otterbein’s Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 20.0 points a game, and free throw percentage making 35 of 40 attempts for 87.5 percent; and ranked second in steals (2.5 a game), third in assists (5.25 a game), eighth in three-point field percentage (27 of 64, 42.2 percent) and tied for sixth in three-point field goals made (2.25 a game).

Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), ranked third in the OAC in field goal percentage making 59 of 93 shots for 63.4 percent, and 10^th in rebounding, averaging 5.8 a game.

Heidelberg’s Chad Szalay, a junior guard from Lorain (Clearview), ranked 10^th in the league in scoring (14.2 points a game), third in steals (2.42 a game), fifth in free throw percentage (31 of 37 for 83.8 percent) and tied for sixth in three-point field goals made (2.25 a game). Lemmon ranked second in rebounding (8.8 a game) and ninth in three-point field goal percentage (21 of 51 for 41.2 percent).

Otterbein and Heidelberg split the season series in 2006-07, each winning on the road.

Next up for Otterbein – Wilmington visits the Rike Center on Wednesday, Jan. 16. 

Cards Win Smokey Ballenger Classic Consolation Game Written Dec. 29, 2007 by Aurelio Ruiz WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein men’s basketball team pulled out a close one as they defeated Hanover College (IN), 94-88, in the consolation game of the 28th-annual Smokey Ballenger Classic. The Cardinals overcame the consistent three-point shooting of the Panthers, who shot 58.3 percent from behind the arc during the first half.  Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), led the Cardinals in the first half with 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor and at the end of the first half the score was tied at 40. The second half of play saw 12 lead changes, and was a back-and-forth battle until Otterbein took the lead for good on a Wells’ three-pointer with 3:22 to play.  Wells, selected to the all-tournament team, hit five three pointers for the game and made all five of his free-throw attempts on his way to tying his career high of 30 points.  Ross Banaszak, a senior from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), added 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting and dished out eight assists.  Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, contributed 18 points and was 11-of-14 from the free-throw line.  Pollock also pulled down 10 boards. Hanover was led by Clint Parker, a senior guard from Brownstown, Ind., who scored 27 points and had six assists.  Marc O’Leary, a senior forward from Terra Haute, Ind., added 14 points and eight rebounds. The Cardinals do no play again until Jan. 9, traveling to Baldwin-Wallace for an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Cards to Play in the Consolation Game of Smokey Ballenger Classic  Written Dec. 28, 2007 by Aurelio Ruiz WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein chipped away at a 22-point deficit, but came up short as it lost to Albion College (MI), 76-70, in the 28th-annual Smokey Ballenger Classic. The Cardinals trailed Albion, 34-29, at the end of the first half. But to start the second half of play, the Britons went on a 22-2 run making the score 53-31.  The Cardinals scored early in the second half on a lay-up by Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), but did not score again until Ray Welch, a freshman guard from Lewis Center (Olentangy), hit a 2-pointer with 11:30 to play in the game, ending the scoreless drought. The Cardinals then mounted a 12-0 run to get within 12 points, trailing 55-43 with 7:59 to play.  Down the stretch, Otterbein cut the lead to three points with 14 seconds to play. The Cardinals were led by Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Lakewood), with 19 points on 5-of-12 shooting from behind the three-point line.  Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), added 16 points and was a perfect 5 of 5 from the free-throw line.  Ratai chipped in 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Albion, who shot 52.9 percent from the floor for the game, was led by Drew Yancey, a junior forward from Okemos, Mich.  Yancey shot 8 of 11 from the floor, scoring 20 points.  D.J. Mocini, a junior guard from Saugatuck, Mich., added 14 points. With the loss, the Cardinals will play in Saturday’s consolation game against the loser of the Hanover and Ohio Wesleyan game, starting at 3 p.m.  The win advances Albion into the championship game scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Cards to Host Mount Union  Written Dec. 20, 2007 by Ed Syguda WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein squares off against the Purple Raiders of Mount Union this Saturday, 2 p.m., in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup. The game was originally scheduled to be played last Saturday, but was postponed due to weather. Both teams come into the game off losses and hungry for a win—the Cardinals losing a non-conference game at Wittenberg, 87-73, Wednesday while Mount Union was falling at home to John Carroll, 93-84. The Cardinals, playing eight of their first nine games on the road, carry a 1-8 overall record and are 1-3 in conference play. Mount Union, 2-6 overall, is winless in four OAC games. Saturday afternoon’s game features two of the league’s top five scorers. Entering the week, Otterbein’s Ross Banaszak, a senior point guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), led the OAC, averaging 21.6 points a game. Mount Union’s Chris Switzer, a junior guard from Stow, held down the fifth spot at 16.5 points a game. Wittenberg put together a 10-0 run, which began with 8:11 to play in the first half, and led by 13 at the break, 43-30, in Wednesday’s game played in Springfield. OC’s Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), hit 8 of 16 from three-point range to post a career-high 30 points. Wells tied the Otterbein record for most three-pointers in game. Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, placed all five of its starters in double-digit scoring in its last OAC game, a 78-72 loss at Ohio Northern Dec. 12. The Polar Bears scored the game’s first two points and never trailed, leading, 32-25, at intermission. Otterbein closed the gap to two twice in the second half and trailed by just three, 51-48, with 8:35 to play. Northern mounted a 19-8 run over the next five minutes to put the game out of reach. Banaszak led the Cardinals with 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Monroe), tallied 14 points and six rebounds. Mount Union, under 16th-year head coach Lee Hood, played John Carroll tough, leading for most of the first half in Wednesday’s loss in Alliance. The Blue Streaks, paced by a triple-double from Terry Walsh, a senior forward from Lakewood (Cleveland St. Ignatius), mounted a 9-0 run to take a 15-point lead, 82-67, with 4:49 to play. Sam King, a sophomore guard from Masury (Brookfield), led Mount Union with 25 points and seven assists. Mount Union’s three other conference losses have come to Muskingum, 67-62, at home Dec. 1; Baldwin-Wallace, 65-63, on the road Dec. 5; and Heidelberg, 77-62, at home Dec. 8. Next up for Otterbein—the Smokey Ballenger Classic scheduled for Dec. 28-29 in the Rike Center. The Cardinals take on Albion (MI) in the opening round. Admission to the Classic, in its 28th year, is free of charge with a donation of a food or personal product item for the WARM food pantry in Westerville. Cash donations will also be accepted for Coaches vs. Cancer. Cards Fall to the  Fighting Muskies in Home Opener Written Dec. 8, 2007 by Aurelio Ruiz WESTERVILLE, OHIO— Muskingum’s balanced scoring attack proved to be too much as the Fighting Muskies defeat Otterbein, 74-55, Saturday in the Rike Center. With the loss, Otterbein falls to 1-6 overall and 1-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC).  Muskingum improves to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the OAC. Muskingum led, 37-20, at the half, using an 18-2 run to build a 30-12 lead with 4:39 remaining in the first half.  The Cardinals shot 32.1 percent from the floor in that period, making nine of 28 field-goal attempts.  Muskingum, meanwhile, hit 15 of 25 shots from the floor for 60 percent. Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, cut the lead to 14 several times in the second half, the last coming with 3:15 to play. Ryan Kennedy, a sophomore guard from Worthington (Thomas Worthington), led Otterbein with 18 points and eight rebounds.  He hit 8 of 12 shots from the floor. OAC leading scorer Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), contributed 14 points and six assists. Four Muskingum players scored in double figures with Todd Brandon, a senior guard from Cambridge leading the way.  Brandon scored 16 points and had six assists.  Jeremy Ady, a senior guard from Dover, added fifteen points. The Cardinals shot only 39 percent from the floor for the game on their way to scoring a season-low 55 points.  Otterbein, playing six of its first seven games on the road, heads back out on the road, traveling to Ohio Northern, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday. Muskingum plays next Saturday at home, taking on Capital at 3 p.m. Cards to Tangle with Fighting Muskies in Home Opener Written Dec. 6, 2007 by Ed Syguda WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Cardinals take on the Fighting Muskies of Muskingum College, 7:30 p.m., Saturday in the Rike Center. Otterbein, playing its first six games of the season on the road, heads into its home opener 1-5 overall and 1-1 in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play. Muskingum, 4-1 overall, holds a 1-0 conference mark. The Fighting Muskies scheduled game with John Carroll Wednesday was postponed until Jan. 23. Both teams come into the game off wins, the Cardinals defeating Marietta, 71-61, Wednesday in Marietta, and the Pioneers turning back Mount Union, 67-62, last Saturday in Alliance. Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, closed out the first half with an 8-0 run to take the lead for good in Wednesday’s game at Marietta. The Pioneers pulled to within one point twice in the second half, the last coming with 15:40 to play in the game. Ross Banaszak, a senior point guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), played all 40 minutes and led the Cardinals with 18 points. Ryan Kennedy, a sophomore guard from Worthington (Thomas Worthington), turned a double-double with 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Lakewood), chipped in 12 points in just his second game this season as an illness kept him sidelined for about one month. The Cardinals opened OAC play with an 85-71 loss at John Carroll last Saturday. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Monroe), turned in a near perfect game, collecting 19 points and 10 rebounds. Ratai hit all six of his shots from the field, including one three-pointer, and made 6 of 7 attempts from the free-throw line. Banaszak, who was attending the funeral for his grandfather, did not play. The Fighting Muskies, under Gene Ford, who is in his first season as head coach at Muskingum, broke open a game tied at 53 with an 8-0 run that began with 5:03 to play in the win at Mount Union last Saturday. Four Muskingum players scored in double-digits led by Nick Hershberger, a sophomore forward from New Philadelphia (Tusky Central), with 15 points along with seven rebounds. Brandon Todd, a senior guard from Cambridge, collected 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds while Tyler Felt, a junior forward from Cambridge, chipped in 10 points, five rebounds and four assists. Jeremy Ady, a senior guard from Dover, scored 13 on 5-of-9 shooting from the field. At midweek, Otterbein’s Banaszak led the OAC in scoring (24.5 points a game), assists (6.3 a game), steals (3.0 an outing) and minutes played (38.8 a game); and ranked second in three-pointers made (3.8 a game), fifth in three-point field-goal percentage (51.7) and eighth in free-throw percentage (84.6). Ratai led the OAC in field-goal percentage (74.2), sat fifth with teammate Kennedy in free-throw percentage (86.7) and held down the seventh spot in rebounding (7.2 a game). Muskingum’s Felt ranked seventh in the OAC for scoring (14.8 points a game), fourth for rebounding (8.0 an outing) and third for three-point field-goal percentage (53.8). Todd sat second in assists (5.8 a game). Following Muskingum, Otterbein goes back on the road, traveling to Ohio Northern next Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Cards to Open OAC Play at John Carroll Written Nov. 30, 2007 by Ed Syguda WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein (0-4), searching for its first win of the season, opens Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play on the road, traveling to John Carroll (2-2) Saturday for a 2 p.m. tip-off in University Heights. “John Carroll has a lot of talent, and on their home court it will be difficult,” said head coach Dick Reynolds, who is in his 36th season at his alma mater. The Cardinals, playing their first four games of the season without starter Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood High School), dropped a pair of non-conference games to Shenandoah, 76-70, Monday in Winchester, Va. and Emory & Henry, 141-136, last Saturday in Emory, Va. Wells has been off one month due to an illness, but is back practicing with the team. “We have played very hard under the circumstances of not having Adam,” Reynolds said about his team’s early-season performance. Point guard Ross Banaszak, a senior from Delaware (Hayes), has been carrying the load for the Cardinals. The senior, who could miss the game at John Carroll due to the passing of his grandfather earlier this week, leads the OAC in scoring (24.5 points a game), assists (6.3 a game), steals (3.0 per game) and minutes (38.8 a game). He ranks second in three-pointers made, averaging 3.8 an outing. Banaszak scored a career-high 41 points, going over the 1,000-point mark for his career in the loss at Emory & Henry in which Otterbein set a school single-game record for points scored. Banaszak has scored 1,025 points over his four seasons at Otterbein. Starter Ryan Kennedy, a sophomore guard from Worthington (Thomas Worthington), ranks second among teammates with an 18.8-points-per-game average. Starters Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, and Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), follow. Pollock is averaging 13.3 points and 4.8 rebounds a game while Ratai checks in at 10.3 points and 6.5 rebounds an outing. Frank Hall, a junior from Plain City (Jonathon Alder), and Sean Cross, a junior from Millersburg (West Holmes), have been alternating starts at the center position. John Carroll comes into the game off back-to-back losses to Cleveland State, 67-57, last Saturday in Cleveland and Albion, 82-81, in single overtime Sunday in University Heights. The Blue Streaks opened the season with a two-game sweep of Randolph-Macon, 68-66, and host Albright, 69-67, in a tournament held Nov. 16-17 in Reading, Pa. Following John Carroll, the Cardinals remain on the road, traveling to Marietta, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday. Otterbein is scheduled to face Muskingum Dec. 8 in its home opener. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. OAC Names Banaszak Player of the Week Written Nov. 26, 2007 by Ed Syguda WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Ross Banaszak, a senior point guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “player of the week” in men’s basketball, the OAC released Monday. Banaszak scored a career-high 41 points as Otterbein tallied a single-game school record for points in a 141-136 loss at Emory & Henry Saturday in Emory, Va. The senior  hit 15 of 25 shots from the field, 8 of 10 from the free-throw line, and tied his career best with 10 assists. Banaszak also collected six steals and five rebounds in the record-setting game. Six Otterbein players scored in double digits at Emory & Henry. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), and Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, hit career scoring highs. Ratai scored 26 points on 12-of-14 shooting. Pollock scored 23 and pulled down a career-best 11 rebounds. Otterbein, 0-3 overall, was scheduled to play at Shenandoah today in Winchester, Va. before opening Ohio Athletic Conference play at John Carroll, 2 p.m., Saturday. Cards Travel to VA for Two-Game Tilt Written Nov. 19, 2007 by Don Middleton WESTERVILLE, OHIO―The Otterbein men’s basketball team travels to Virginia Saturday to play at Emory & Henry College, and concludes its trip at Shenandoah University on Monday. The Cards are coming off a 0-2 performance at the Wooster Tournament last Friday and Saturday after losses to St. Thomas (MN), 73-67, and Farmingdale St. (NY), 98-94. Otterbein is led this season by Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes), and sophomore guard Ryan Kennedy (Worthington/Thomas Worthington).  Banaszak is averaging 21 points and five assists per game; while Kennedy is shooting a team-best 51.3 percent from the field and leads the team in scoring with 24 points a game. Game time for Emory & Henry is set for a 7 p.m. tip-off and the team will square off against Shenandoah at 7:30 p.m. Otterbein’s first home game is Dec. 8 against Ohio Athletic Conference opponent Muskingum. NABC Names Ousley to All-Great Lakes Team Written March 30, 2007 by Ed Syguda WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Center Tyler Ousley, a continuing studies student-athlete from Butler (Clear Fork High School), was named to the NABC Division III All-Great Lakes Region second team, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) released Wednesday. Ousley, who was also a fourth team All-America and first team all-region pick by D3hoops.com, averaged 19.7 points and 10.8 rebounds a game this season for the 16-11 Cardinals. The 6-8 center tallied 16 double-doubles for points and rebounds and was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “player of the week” three times. Among NCAA Division III players this season, Ousley ranked 11th in the nation for blocked shots (2.6 a game), 12th for rebounding, 46th for scoring, and 56th for field-goal percentage (57.0). Ousley, who received a medical redshirt for the 2004-05 season, finished his Otterbein career (2002-07) with 1,204 points, 786 rebounds, and 231 blocked shots. He also collected 171 assists and 70 steals over his career. Cards Advance to OAC Tournament Semifinals Written Feb. 22, 2007 by Ed Syguda WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, riding a four-game winning streak, takes on top-seeded and host Capital, 8 p.m., Friday in the semifinals of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament. The Cardinals, riding a four-game winning streak, advanced into the semifinals with a 52-51 win at fourth-seeded Ohio Northern Wednesday. Center Tyler Ousley, a continuing studies student from Butler (Clear Fork High School), hit a short jumper in the lane as time expired. “Tyler, once again, took a beating and played like an All-American,” said Otterbein head coach Dick Reynolds. “It was good to win against another caliber program on the road.” Forward Cory Ratai, a freshman from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), made a steal to set up Otterbein’s final possession with 30 seconds remaining in the game. Following two Otterbein timeouts, the last with 3.3 seconds to go, point guard Ross Banaszak, a junior from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), dribbled across the free-throw line and then dished the ball inside to Ousley for the winning shot. “Ross got double-teamed and dumped it off to Tyler,” Reynolds said. “Their experience made that win.” Ousley finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots. Banaszak collected 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. He made 3 of 4 shots from three-point range. Guard Adam Wells, a senior from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), scored eight points despite playing with two bruised ribs. Otterbein and Capital split a pair of games during the regular season, each winning at home. The Crusaders won, 77-59, Dec. 16 in Bexley and Otterbein won, 73-69, in single overtime last Saturday in Westerville. “Cap will be very difficult as we will, once again, have to combat physical play and hope to shoot the ball well,” Reynolds said. “Adam (Otterbein’s top three-point shooter) is very sore with his bruised ribs.” The winner of this game will return Saturday to face either second-seeded John Carroll or third-seeded Baldwin-Wallace in the championship game with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament. The championship game will be played at Capital, starting at 7:30 p.m. Cards Open OAC Tournament at Ohio Northern Written Feb. 19, 2007 by Ed Syguda WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein men’s basketball team enters the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament—the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament—on a three-game winning streak. The Cardinals, seeded fifth, are scheduled to play at fourth-seeded Ohio Northern, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday in Ada in one of four quarterfinal games being played that night. The winner advances to play the winner of the game between top-seeded Capital and eighth-seeded Muskingum. “This year’s tournament, obviously, could be won by a couple of different teams—whichever teams happen to have a good shooting night,” said Otterbein head coach Dick Reynolds. Otterbein finished up the regular season Saturday with a thrilling win over OAC regular-season co-champion Capital, 73-69, in single overtime in the Rike Center. Center Tyler Ousley, a continuing studies student from Butler (Clear Fork High School), turned in another career performance, collecting 23 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and five blocked shots in the win. Ousley made 6 of 10 shots from the field and 11 of 13 from the free-throw line. The center has posted 15 double-doubles for points and rebounds this season. Point guard Ross Banaszak, a junior from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), chipped in 16 points, four assists and three steals against Capital. “The Capital win was good,” Reynolds said. “The win reinforced our thoughts that we can compete versus the top teams in the OAC.” Otterbein, sporting a 6-2 mark over its last eight games, finished the regular season at 15-10 overall, and 11-7 in the OAC. The Cardinals lost both games to Ohio Northern this season, 79-70, Jan. 17 in Ada and, 66-63, in single overtime at home Jan. 31. The Polar Bears were ranked 8th and 14th in the nation, respectively, at the time of the wins. “We’ll have to battle ONU’s physical play,” Reynolds said about the key to success against the Polar Bears.

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