FINDLAY – Layne Sarver a 2022 Tri-Village graduate is a member of the Gannon University Men’s Basketball Team. Sarver is in his senior year and the #22 ranked Knights in NCAA D2 would play at #23 Findlay on Saturday and they would hand the Oilers their first loss of the season 101-79.
Sarver started his collegiate basketball career at Union University in Birmingham, Alabama for his freshman and sophomore years, then transferred to Gannon in 2024-25 bringing him closer to home. Still a good 5-hour drive away located in Erie, Pennsylvania right off the lake in the heart of the snow belt.
With the game being held at Findlay Saturday night it was just a two-hour drive and there was a strong Tri-Village and Layne Sarver contingent on hand to support and watch him play.
Sarver and his team wouldn’t disappoint as Layne knocked down 17 points (four 3’s) and he was the game high scorer for both teams.
Layne is the son of Christy and Eric Sarver … has a brother (Colton Linkous) and sister (Kayla) who played basketball at Cedarville University, with his brother playing with current Gannon head coach Easton Bazzoli.
Bazzoli was an assistant coach at Union where Layne played the first two years. Bazzoli would leave Union for an opportunity to coach at Gannon and in his first year as an assistant the Knights would win a National Championship.
The following season Bazzoli became Gannon’s head coach and Sarver transferred to join the team in 2024-25. Gannon advanced to the NCAA D2 Regional Finals but fell in the Championship game to West Liberty who end their season at 27-7.
“Coming here last year was a good decision for me it brought me a little closer to home and playing here has been a lot of fun. I’ve liked it a lot. We had a good year it’s tough losing in the regional championship so we’re just trying to build on that and make it farther this year,” Sarver would tell me after the game.
Sarver was a big part of their post season run success and has taken on an even bigger role in the early part of the 2025-26 season as a starter for the Knights who are off to a 3-0 start where Sarver is averaging 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assist.
The Knights looked dominant at times against a very good Oiler’s team, and I asked Layne about the make-up of the team this year.
“I feel like this year we’re a lot more connected, one through 14 … everybody, we all really care about each other and just want the best for everybody,” Sarver said.
“I feel like this year I’ve got to prove myself a little bit more,” he added.
That proof and connectiveness would be on display in the early part of the second half.
With the Oilers trailing by as many as 20 they would close the gap to 55-41. The Knights would find Sarver in the far-right corner, and he would rise up for a jump shot while absorbing contact from the defender. He went down hard on the boundary line, his shot drew net and his teammates mugged him lying on the ground in excitement showing that connectiveness.
That was a pretty cool moment, Sarver would say after the game
“My teammates caught me right over the corner and I just let it go and then next thing I know I’m lying on the ground, and they are cheering and helping me up off the ground,” Sarver stated.
Sarver proved himself after sinking the free throw for a 4-point play.
That play also brought delight to his fans and supporters who had a great view sitting directly behind and they didn’t go unnoticed by Layne.
“I just want to say thank you to all of those who came tonight to see my play. I know it’s kind of a long drive, but this is the closest game I’ve ever had to home and it feels good to look up there and see all the fans,” Layne exclaimed.
Any spark the Oilers had was gone after that as the Knights charged forward storming the Croy Physical Education Center for a 101-79 victory to make their 3-hour drive back to Erie a good one.
And after Layne visiting with his supporters and snapped the obligatory pictures he left them all something to talk about on their 2-hour drive home and another pleasant memory to add to those he provided in his career at Tri-Village.
