Taylor, Groveport hand Canal Winchester first loss

Nahki Taylor scored 26 points, including 17 in the first half, and host Groveport held on to knock off previously undefeated Canal Winchester 70-64 in an Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division boys basketball game on Friday night.

Taylor had 11 points while the Cruisers (10-7, 4-3) outscored the Indians 29-17 in the second quarter to take a 42-32 halftime lead.

Scotty Lomax also drained three shots from beyond the arc during the run and finished with 14 points overall.

Bilal Sow had 24 points for Canal (15-1, 6-1), which was only able to cut its deficit to five points in the fourth quarter and dropped into a first-place tie in the division with Newark.

NEWARK 61, FRANKLIN HEIGHTS 50: Newark made 18 free throws to none for Franklin Heights, and the Wildcats (14-2, 6-1) defeated the visiting Falcons (2-14, 0-7) in the OCC Capital. Keshawn Heard led Newark with 19 points, including 9 of 10 free throws; the Wildcats were 18 of 21 overall. CENTRAL CROSSING 61, MARYSVILLE 59: Dan Ewald scored all 12 of his points in the second half, including eight as part of a 20-4 third-quarter run, and Central Crossing (5-10, 3-4) edged host Marysville (7-8, 2-5) in the OCC Central.

WESTERVILLE NORTH 72, OLENTANGY 62: Jeremiah Keene scored 20 points and Phillip Alston added 15, and they helped fuel a 21-7 second-quarter run as Westerville North (9-7, 2-5) erased an early deficit on the way to an OCC Buckeye win over host Olentangy (8-6, 3-4). Sean Marks scored 23 for the Braves, who led 22-15 after the first quarter.

OLENTANGY LIBERTY 87, WESTERVILLE SOUTH 67: Ben Roderick had 33 points in helping host Olentangy Liberty (11-4, 6-1) coast past Westerville South (6-8, 3-4) in the OCC Buckeye. Roderick totaled 15 field goals, including two three-pointers, while scoring 21 first-half points to help build a 45-28 lead.

WATTERSON 50, DESALES 45: Watterson’s 10-0 run to bridge the third and fourth quarter paved the way for a Central Catholic League victory over host Desales (10-5, 4-1). Zach Sawyer led the Eagles (7-7, 4-2) with 20 points, including four three-pointers. UPPER ARLINGTON 49, HILLIARD DAVIDSON 45: Macy Spielman had 22 points, including 16 in the first half, and Upper Arlington (13-5, 6-2) edged host Hilliard Davidson (14-5, 4-4) in the OCC Central. Spielman, who also had 12 rebounds, made two of her three free throws in the final two minutes after Davidson cut its eight-point halftime deficit to one. Sydney Peterson paced Davidson with 12 points on six baskets.