FINDLAY - Lima Bath has lost just once this season.
With the way the Wildcats shot Friday night in Findlay, it's a wonder how that even happened.
Lima Bath came out red hot, scoring 26 points in the first quarter, leading 56-26 at the half, and cruising to an 81-57 win over Columbian at the Findlay Holiday Tournament.
The Wildcats (7-1) were particularly potent from behind the 3-point line. They made nine first half 3-pointers, putting the game away early. They had 12 3's overall.
"We dug ourselves a hole, and we didn't play very well to start," Columbian coach Bill Beaston said after his team fell to 1-5. "Credit to them; they did. They shot real well, and we just dug a hole that was insurmountable."
Lima Bath coach Doug Davis said the key to his team's hot start came on the defensive end.
Fact Box
Findlay Holiday Tournament
Lima Bath 81, Columbian 57
Columbian (1-5): Alec Demith 2-0-4; Bryce Lonsway 5-0-10; Josh Flint 3-1-9; Connor Conley 0-0-0; Donovan Walker 5-0-12; Ryan Lynch 4-1-9; Taylor Warner 0-0-0; Derek Dryfuse 6-1-13; Cody Daniel 0-0-0. Totals: 25-3-57.
Lima Bath (7-1): Connor Rockhold 7-0-17; Hayden Atkins 6-0-13; Cole Chambers 4-0-10; Logan Rockhold 2-5-9; Doug Sanders 3-1-9; Colin Gossard 2-1-5; Taren Sullivan 4-0-11; Tyler Baxter 2-0-4; Trent Jones 1-0-2. Totals: 31-7-81.
Columbian8181318 - 57
Lima Bath2630178 - 81
3-point goals: Columbian 3 (Flint 2, Walker); Bath 11 (C. Rockhold 3, Sullivan 3, Chambers 2, Sanders 2, Atkins).
Foul shots: Columbian 3-10; Lima Bath 7-8.
"Our defensive pressure, we like to be able to pick up full court, and be able to pick up some steals and get easy baskets. Kind of get our juices flowing a little bit.
"After that, it was, we knocked down quite a few 3's there in the first half. If we're shooting that well, we're gonna be a pretty good team."
One of biggest factors in the Bulldogs' strong season has been the amount of depth they have. Four players are averaging more than 10 points a game, another is averaging over nine.
In Friday's game, five players reached double digits, led by Connor Rockhold, who had 17 points.
Hayden Atkins had 13 points for Lima Bath, while Taren Sullivan had 11 and Cole Chambers and Logan Rockhold each had 10.
"On different nights, it's different guys," Davis said. "I do think that makes us tough to guard, to (not be able to) concentrate on one person."
Beaston agreed.
"When you've got that kind of scoring, you can tell that they share the ball well, they shoot well, and you saw that the first half," Beaston said. "They're a very cohesive unit, and they keep running guys out there, and that's hard to compete with."
Columbian rebounded with a much better second half, one in which it outscored the Bulldogs 31-25. The Tornadoes outscored Bath 18-8 over the game's final eight minutes.
"Credit to my kids, I thought they showed a lot of guts and a lot of heart and pride in the second half," Beaston said. "That was much more the effort that we want to see, so I was happy to see that."
Derek Dryfuse was one of three Tornadoes to score in double figures, as he recorded a team-leading 13. Donovan Walker scored 10 points in the second half and finished with 12 overall, while Bryce Lonsway had 10 points.
"In a game like that, you're looking for positives, and the second half, there was definitely a lot of them," Beaston said. "Donovan Walker was huge; he really played well and I think he's starting to get his basketball legs under him. I thought Ryan Lynch (9 points) and Alec Demith (4 points) both had great energy in the second half as well, and there was better cohesiveness. If we're going to be successful, it's got to be that way, and I think we can learn from tonight."
Columbian will be back in Findlay at 6 p.m. tonight to play Toledo Waite, which lost to Findlay in the second game Friday night, 74-40.
