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Eric George/ThisWeek

Alex Hohe and the Hayes boys bowling team competed in the sectional tournament Feb. 17 at Columbus Western Bowl. The Pacers finished the regular season 9-6 overall and the girls team, which competed in the sectional Feb. 18 at Eastern Lanes, was 10-5. Buy This Photo

The Delaware Hayes High School girls basketball team did not play Olentangy during the regular season. But in the second round of the Division I district tournament, the Pacers will get a look at a Braves squad that will be a league opponent next season.

The Pacers and Braves meet at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Olentangy Orange.

“They’re normally on our schedule, but they came off the schedule this year because they’re coming into (the OCC-Capital Division) next year,” coach Erin Margraf said.

The Pacers advanced by beating Dublin Jerome 27-24 in the first round Feb. 15 at Orange to improve to 10-11 overall. The seventh-seeded Braves improved to 19-2 by beating Westland 52-42 in the first round Feb. 15 at Orange for their 13th consecutive victory.

“They’re a really good team and execute well,” Margraf said. “I really like their bigs. They have a good inside game and a good outside game. They pass from post to post well and they also kick it back outside from the post for good looks at the basket. So we’ve got to be able to limit things inside and be able to get out and cover their shooters. We’ve got to be smart on defense.”

While junior post players Megan Beidelman (6-foot) and Lydia Hyburg (6-2) garner much of the attention, Delaware also will be aware of 6-3 senior post player Ronnie Kenley, who was with the Pacers until moving out of the district before this school year.

“It’s tough because I know most of the girls on that team,” Kenley said of playing the Pacers. “We were close for a couple of years, but we’d have to set that aside for the game. Inside the lines there are no friends except your teammates.”

The Braves also are led by 5-10 junior guard Brooke Zwayer and receive strong contributions from senior guard Nicole Payne and junior guards Courtney Hale and Gina Miccinilli.

Olentangy’s losses were to Dublin Scioto (62-61 on Dec. 6) and to Louisville (Ky.) Butler (60-55 on Dec. 28) in a tournament in Florida.

Against Jerome, which fell to 11-10, Delaware got 13 points from Paige Stimmel and six from Kristen McMillen. Bethany Naegele and Abbie Gore provided strong defense in the post, and the Pacers went 10-for-13 from the foul line while Jerome did not attempt a free throw.

Jerome beat visiting Delaware 44-35 in a non-league game Jan. 31.

“I was really impressed with our rebounding and we did a nice job with that,” Margraf said. “It was our focal point. I wasn’t expecting us to out rebound them because they’re so tall, but we wanted to compete on the boards. We did a nice job preventing them from the second and third opportunities.”

The Pacers led 13-8 at halftime and 22-18 entering the fourth quarter.

•The boys basketball team will get a rematch with Olentangy when it begins Division I district tournament play at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at Jonathan Alder.

The Braves beat Delaware 64-54 on Dec. 30.

“(Olentangy plays) several different zones and they can shoot the ball if not located,” coach Jordan Blackburn said. “I felt our guys didn’t respect Olentangy enough before we played them. They do now. We scored 25 points the first three quarters then 29 in the fourth the last time we played.”

Entering their respective regular-season finales Feb. 17, the Pacers and Braves both were 10-9 overall. Delaware was 7-6 in the OCC-Capital and Olentangy was 6-7 in the OCC-Cardinal. Olentangy was seeded 20th in the district tournament and Delaware was 21st.

The Braves are led by 6-foot-9 senior center Stephen Walczak and 6-1 junior point guard Seth Clark.

“They shoot a lot of 3s in transition, so getting back is a must,” said Blackburn, whose team had lost three in a row before Feb. 17. “Walczak has really improved as well, so limiting his deep touches and shots are important. We also need to locate all of their shooters, especially Clark. We also need to keep him out of the paint. Clark and Walczak carry the load when they play well.

“We will have to keep them off the boards, get fluid movement against the zone defenses and get penetration off quick reversals.”

In the first meeting, Walczak scored 18 points, Ryan Shaffer scored 16, Jordan Gingery had 14 and Clark added 10. Gingery is a 6-0 senior forward and Shaffer is a 5-9 senior guard.

Delaware junior point guard Michael Wells led central Ohio in scoring at 25 points per game entering the final week of the regular season. He also was averaging 5.4 assists, a figure that should be much higher, according to Blackburn.

“Wells has been doing a great job of penetrating and drawing defense and kicking it lately. When he passes, we need to finish. Over the past two games he has 14 (of) what we call blown assists. What that means is he penetrated, forced help and then got it to a guy within six feet of the basket. When that happens, we have to finish.”

The Pacers have been decimated by injuries, losing five of their top players.

“Several of my friends who coach have suggested that I need to write a book about this season,” Blackburn said. “It has definitely tested our patience and made us better as people.”

The book still could have a happy ending. Seniors Jacob Bosiokovic (13.2 points per game, 10.3 rebounds) and Matt Bingaya (special mention all-state last season) have been rehabilitating and hope to return.

Bingaya tore a knee ligament during football season and hasn’t played this season. Bosiokovic suffered a high ankle sprain Jan. 18.

“Neither (Bingaya or Bosiokovic) are practicing, but both could be cleared by Feb. 25,” Blackburn said. “I don’t want Jacob to risk an injury being so close to baseball (season) unless his doctor says he is 100 percent. Matthew has made a lot of progress in the past three weeks with his range of motion and flexibility.

“We will have to wait and see.”

The Pacers also are without Jamie Lahman, who had oral reconstructive surgery Jan. 25 and went to the doctor Feb. 13 but was not cleared to return, Blackburn said.

Noble Moore, who sustained a shoulder injury Feb. 8, had another appointment Feb. 15 and Thoeun Sorn, who broke a wrist Dec. 16, goes back to the doctor Feb. 23, Blackburn said.

“We could have four of the five back,” he said. “We could have none of them.”