Tinora eliminates Dayton Christian in Division III semifinal

Dan Labbe, OhioHSsports.com, March 26, 2009 8:59 p.m.

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Defiance Tinora's Taylor Wiemken, right, tries to drive past Dayton Christian's Casey Weber during the second quarter. - (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Every year there's a small player that makes big plays in the state tournament. This year, it was 5'9" junior Treg Lymanstall. 

Lymanstall scored 13 points -- including 12 in the second half -- to lead the Rams to the state championship game with a 43-38 win in Columbus. The Rams will play Cleveland Central Catholic at 2:00 p.m.  

"When he's shooting the basketball well we give him a lot of freedom," said Tinora coach Rob Mahnke of his point guard's performance.

"My teammates just got me the ball. I give credit to them," said Lymanstall.

Neither team could find much separation in the first half. Dayton Christian jumped out to an 11-6 lead on a Kenny Florkey layup with 7:13 to play. Tinora was able to answer with a 6-0 run over the next four minutes to take a 12-11 lead. But Dayton Christian had an answer thanks to an Aaron Deister three and two Nathan Serenius baskets to extend to an 18-12 lead. Trinity finished the half strong thanks to Gregg Gurken scoring four of their final six points to close the Dayton Christian lead to 20-18 at the half.

Both teams kept things close to the vest in the opening quarter as Dayton Christian held a 9-6 lead after one frame. Tinora shot just 2-for-6 from the free throw line in the quarter.

The third quarter was much of the same. Tinora used three 3-pointers, including two from Lymenstall, to close a 23-18 deficit to 33-31. Then in the fourth quarter, Tinora turned it on, outscoring Dayton Christian 12-5 in the quarter.

The Rams took the lead on senior Zach Beilharz's jumper two minutes into the quarter. Senior Jon Gerken (11 points) gave the Rams a brief 35-33 lead, but a Weber three put Dayton Christian back on top, 36-35. That would be the Warriors' final lead of the night as Tinora ran off eight straight points to ice the win.

Dayton Christian was paced by senior Deister's 15 points.