By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

ATHENS — The amazing run came to a disappointing halt.

After getting a couple of unexpected wins in the district tournament, Green couldn’t find that magic touch a third time as the Northside Christian Lions had four players in double figures and beat the Green Bobcats 66-56 in the Division 4 regional semi-finals Tuesday at the Ohio University Convocation Center.

Landon Vanderwarker scored 19 points to lead the Lions (23-3) who also got double digit scoring from Josh Cook with 15, Diamauntae Jackson with 13 and Devontrel Jackson had 10.

Gabe McBee led the Bobcats (20-6) with 18 points while Jon Knapp scored 14 and Levi Sampson had 12 points.

There were only two lead changes and the game was tied twice but Northside held the lead for almost 30 minutes while Green had the lead for only 41 seconds.

Northside outscored Green 36-30 in the paint and held a 27-22 rebound advantage. Sampson had 9 rebounds for Green.

Northside took a 20-12 first quarter lead that proved to be the difference as the Lions made it stand up the rest of the game.

Green notably had to battle the Lions was battle through foul trouble with the leading scorer Sampson. Gabe McBee fouled out and the team’s second leading scorer Abe McBeen finished with four fouls and 9 points.

The Lions turned the 20-12 first quarter lead into a 34-25 halftime spread.

Northside added to its lead in the third quarter by going up 46-36. Each team scored 20 points in the fourth quarter.

Northside    20 14 12 20 = 66

Green       12 13 11 20 = 56

WESTERVILLE NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN (23-3): Landon Vanderwarker 7-14 3-5 19, Carter Jury 1-1 2-2 4, Josh Cook 5-10 2-2 15, Devontrel Jackson 4-6 2-2 10, Diamauntae Jackson 6-10 2-2 14, Bryce Vanderwarker 1-1 0-0 2, Paul Kuteyi 1-2 0-0 2, Aziz Bah 0-0 0-0 0, Justin Meyer 0-0 0-0 0, Dalton Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 25-44 11-13 66. 3-pt goals: 5-10 (L. Vanderwarker 2-4, Cook 3-4, Jackson 0-1, De. Jackson 0-1, Di. Jackson 0-1). Rebounds: 9-O, 16-D = 25 (L. Vanderwarker 7, Jury 5, Di. Jackson 5). Team rebounds: 3. Assists: 9 (De. Jackson 5). Steals: 7 (Cook 3, Di. Jackson 3). Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

FRANKLIN FURNACE GREEN (20-6): Levi Sampson 4-18 3-4 12, Gabe McBee 6-10 3-4 18, Levi Blevins 0-3 0-0 0, Abe McBee 4-6 1-3 9, Levi Waddell 1-3 0-0 3, Jon Knapp 6-7 2-2 14, Landon Kimbler 0-0 0-0 0, Brody Stapleton 0-0 0-0 0, Mason Neal 0-0 0-0 0, Brennan Rnnison 0-0 0-0 0, Devlin Maynard 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-49 9-13 56. 3-pt goals: 5-14 (Sampson 1-3, G. McBee 3-4, Blevins 0-2, A. McBee 0-1, Waddell 1-3, Knapp 0-1). Rebounds: 10-O, 12-D = 22 (Sampson 9, A. McBee 4). Team rebounds: 1. Assists: 12 (A. McBee 6, Sampson 3). Steals: 11 (Sampson 5). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: G. McBee.

Game time: 1:53. Attendance: 689. Officials: James Fiora, Josh Groves, Dash McNeal