“We had a few rough practices on Monday and Tuesday, but we played hard and got a big win tonight to advance,” Tolliver said.
The Wildcats led 19-6 after the first quarter, but the Aviators cut the lead to five at halftime at 27-22.
“The first quarter we played really well and then I think we got a little stagnant, a little overconfident,” Springfield interim coach Matt Yinger said. “We just talked about getting back to the basics that put us in a good position in the first quarter and controlling the controllables — energy, effort and execution. If we stick to that, it allows us to be more successful.”
The Wildcats jumped out to a 36-26 lead in the third quarter, but a quick 5-0 run allowed the Aviators to cut the lead back to five. A 3-pointer by Springfield’s Jamon Miller and five straight points by Tolliver gave the Wildcats a double-digit lead they would never relinquish.
“I really can’t attribute to an X and O thing,” Yinger said. “I always trust that the guys are going to do what we ask them to do in terms of energy, effort and execution. I think we picked up the pace a little bit and got out into transition, picked up it defensively. I would attribute it to the guys picking up the effort and giving that Wildcat effort that we expect.”
Tolliver has scored in double figures in five of Springfield’s last seven games.
“He was a kid we knew was going to break out at some point in time,” Yinger said. “He put in the time and is enjoying the fruits of his labor.”
As a freshman, Josh Tolliver broke his leg and missed the entire season. Last year, he averaged 18 points per game on the junior varsity. He knew he’d have a chance to start as a junior if he put in the work over the summer, Yinger said.
Tolliver earned his starting spot and averaged 10.9 points per game during a regular season, including a 20-point performance on Feb. 14 at Wayne. He came into the postseason oozing with confidence, Yinger said.
“We thought he was going to have a good game tonight and he came out shooting the ball extremely well,” Yinger said. “The guys are starting to look for him. Earlier in the year, he was that junior on a team full of seniors and now he’s earned his stripes. I think the guys are respecting him and looking for him even more.”
One of those seniors is his brother, Jeff Tolliver, a two-sport standout who will play football at Siena Heights University next fall. They grew up playing AAU basketball together, Josh said.
“It’s been fun,” Josh Tolliver said. “He’s always kept me on my feet and told me to keep pushing and working hard. It’s been fun playing with him. I’ve taught him a lot of stuff and he’s taught me a lot of stuff. It’s fun having that brother connection.”
The Wildcats will play 17th-seeded Xenia (5-17) at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Vandalia Butler’s Student Activities Center.
“We don’t look ahead too much,” Yinger said. “(Xenia coach Kent Anderson) always does a good job getting them prepared. We’ve seen them in the past in tournament play. We’re going to respect every opponent and give them our best shot.”
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