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DAYTON – A day before the Olentangy Orange boys basketball team played the biggest game in program history, coach Anthony Calo predicted the future in a conversion with his brother, Michael.
When asked by Michael for a player to watch in the Division I state final Saturday night against Reynoldsburg, Anthony was quick to respond: senior Ellis Appiah.
“I did tell my brother – a basketball family, obviously – when he asked who’s going to have a big game, and I said Ellis is having a great week, a great week,” Calo said. “Obviously, (Appiah) got loose in the state title game, which is incredible.”
Appiah, a Denison commit, scored a career-high 20 points in leading the Pioneers to a 56-41 win and their first state title. Appiah hit 8 of 10 shots from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and contributed four rebounds, two assists and one steal.
It was the second championship for the Calo family. Anthony and Michael's father, Ed, won the Division I state title in 2016 as the coach at Westerville South.
Leading 17-14 at halftime, Orange went on an 8-0 run to begin the third quarter and never looked back. Appiah scored 13 points and hit all of his 3s in the second half.
“This was my career high (in points),” Appiah said. “I was hot, and they kept giving me the ball and I appreciated it.”
Junior guard Treyton Schroeder also contributed, scoring 12 points on four 3s, and junior guard Levi Davis added 10 points. Senior guard Devin Brown, the team’s leading scorer, was held to six points but had six rebounds and six assists.
“An individual number on the stat sheet just popped up to me,” Anthony Calo said during the postgame press conference. “It’s such a team effort, and obviously we’re team first, but I’ll get to that in a minute. ... Holy crap, two claps for (Appiah's 20 points).”
Appiah said Calo had a message for the team at halftime, leading to Orange dominating the second half.
“He told us when you leave this game ... will we have any regrets or will we be happy with our performance?” Appiah said. “That motivated me to push harder in the second half.”
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@DispatchFrank
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ellis Appiah delivers in Orange basketball's OHSAA state final win
Continue reading...
When asked by Michael for a player to watch in the Division I state final Saturday night against Reynoldsburg, Anthony was quick to respond: senior Ellis Appiah.
“I did tell my brother – a basketball family, obviously – when he asked who’s going to have a big game, and I said Ellis is having a great week, a great week,” Calo said. “Obviously, (Appiah) got loose in the state title game, which is incredible.”
Appiah, a Denison commit, scored a career-high 20 points in leading the Pioneers to a 56-41 win and their first state title. Appiah hit 8 of 10 shots from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and contributed four rebounds, two assists and one steal.
It was the second championship for the Calo family. Anthony and Michael's father, Ed, won the Division I state title in 2016 as the coach at Westerville South.
Leading 17-14 at halftime, Orange went on an 8-0 run to begin the third quarter and never looked back. Appiah scored 13 points and hit all of his 3s in the second half.
“This was my career high (in points),” Appiah said. “I was hot, and they kept giving me the ball and I appreciated it.”
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Junior guard Treyton Schroeder also contributed, scoring 12 points on four 3s, and junior guard Levi Davis added 10 points. Senior guard Devin Brown, the team’s leading scorer, was held to six points but had six rebounds and six assists.
“An individual number on the stat sheet just popped up to me,” Anthony Calo said during the postgame press conference. “It’s such a team effort, and obviously we’re team first, but I’ll get to that in a minute. ... Holy crap, two claps for (Appiah's 20 points).”
Appiah said Calo had a message for the team at halftime, leading to Orange dominating the second half.
“He told us when you leave this game ... will we have any regrets or will we be happy with our performance?” Appiah said. “That motivated me to push harder in the second half.”
[email protected]
@DispatchFrank
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ellis Appiah delivers in Orange basketball's OHSAA state final win
Continue reading...
