ONTARIO — Joe Balogh has won more than 450 game in an illustrious career dating to the mid-1980s, but only a handful of those victories have been as significant as the one Ontario’s veteran coach orchestrated Wednesday night.
You’d never know it by listening to the postgame press conference, though.
The Warriors, ranked fifth in Division II in the most recent Associated Press state poll, snapped Norwalk’s 57-game regular season winning streak with a thrilling 63-61 victory in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the O-Rena.
“It’s really great for our kids, but it hasn’t won us a (Northern Ohio League) title or a sectional title or a district title,” the business-like Balogh said. “I told them to enjoy this tonight, but tomorrow we’ve got to take the next step.”
The Warriors (15-0, 7-0) can be forgiven if they celebrate a little more than usual. The loss was the first for Norwalk (14-1, 6-1) since falling to Huron 55-52 on Feb. 19, 2011.
“To win that many regular season games in a row says a lot about what (Norwalk coach Steve Gray) has done there and also what those kids have been able to do,” Balogh said. “I can’t even fathom winning that number of games.
“We approached this game like it was a test to see if what we do is good enough to beat a really good basketball team. We were really good in stretches, but with what Norwalk has been through … they probably have faced every adverse situation.”
The Truckers faced more adversity in the first quarter Wednesday than they had all season. Norwalk trailed 21-8 late in the period and 23-13 after the opening eight minutes as Ontario connected on 10 of 13 first-quarter field goal attempts. It was the first time this year and, remarkably, just the second time during the 57-game winning streak that Norwalk has trailed by double-figures.
“When the crowd is behind you, it is a big confidence booster,” said Ontario’s Brandon Wagner, who scored five first-quarter points. “We got the lead, but we knew they were going to come back. We had to keep our composure.”
The Truckers came storming back in the second quarter, outscoring the Warriors 20-14. Jeff Thomas, Norwalks 6-5 shooting guard who has verbally committed to Division I Georgia State, scored 11 points in the second quarter.
“He’s a great player,” said Ontario’s Cameron Mack, who drew the unenviable task of guarding Thomas. “Basically, you just try to limit him as much as you can.”
Trailing 37-33 at halftime, the Truckers opened the third quarter on an 11-6 run and took a 44-43 lead on Grant Hull’s 3-pointer off a Thomas assist with 3:46 remaining in the period. It was Norwalk’s only lead of the evening and it was short-lived, as Ontario responded with a 8-2 run to close the third quarter for a 51-46 advantage heading to the fourth.
Norwalk eventually pulled even at 61-61 after a Thomas steal and layup with 2:19 to play in the fourth quarter. Mack split a pair of free throws with 1:13 to play to give Ontario a 62-61 advantage and Tyler Boatwright split two freebies with 14.7 seconds to play for a 63-61 lead.
The Truckers played for a final shot and Malone-bound point guard Ben Haraway got a good look at the basket with about three seconds to go, but his driving right-handed layup attempt in traffic was partially blocked by Mack and Ontario’s Josh Plieninger grabbed the rebound. Plieninger was fouled with 1.9 seconds to play, but misfired on both free throw attempts. Thomas boarded Plieninger’s second miss, but his desperation heave from his own free throw line fell well short at the buzzer as the Ontario student section stormed the floor.
“They played a great game. That is the best I’ve seen them play all year,” said Norwalk coach Steve Gray, a former Lexington coach and longtime Balogh friend. “We didn’t guard like we are capable tonight. We’re giving up 49 points a game.
“We could never get the ball and the lead (at the same time). We just couldn’t get it done.”
Thomas led all scorers with 23 points, but was just 9 for 23 from the floor. He also grabbed 16 rebounds, including eight at the offensive end. Haraway had 15 points on 5 of 13 shooting, while Jordan Johnson added 10.
Wagner and Mack each scored 20 points for the Warriors. Tyler Boatwright added six.
In junior varsity action, Ontario remained unbeaten with a 45-28 win. Andrew Rathburn had a team-high 12 points for the Warriors.
Ontario visits Bellevue on Friday and Madison on Saturday. Norwalk is at Willard on Saturday.
