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Final Score (2OT)
Centerville 70 Moeller 69 There was a feeling in the air walking into Xavier University Saturday morning. While the season (and tournament) had unpredictable moments throughout, there was a feeling on gratitude for the Region 4 Championship. The 2 best teams in the Southwest District, Centerville (#1 seed from Dayton) and Moeller (#1 seed from Cincinnati) had battled their way through the Districts and first Regional matchup to setup a highly touted rematch. Centerville had defeated the Crusaders in the regular season 62-55. But more importantly, the last time these two teams faced off in the Regional Finals was 2021. That game, Moeller, the three-time defending state champions, were dethroned by Tom House on a buzzer beater, as the Elks would go on to win their first state title behind House and a slew of talent around him. By time we got to tipoff on Saturday, both teams showed they were trying to rely on what makes them unique. Moeller kept patient in their offensive sets, moved the ball and opened up opportunities for shots on the perimeter. Alex Kazanecki (Jr) specifically got off on the right foot getting 7 points in the quarter. Centerville on the other hand, was winning the hustle battle by getting 50/50 balls and securing 2nd chance opportunities on the offensive glass against the Crusaders’ height. Both teams went back and forth with Moeller leading early 14-11. Out of the 2nd quarter, Brook Cupps had a message to his team and made a timely adjustment surrounding one of the Elks’ role players. Centerville seemingly settled in come 2nd half. Defensively, they held the Crusaders to a single digit quarter. Offensively though, the Elks utilized the extra attention on their stars Jonathan Powell (Sr) and Baboucarr Njie (Sr) and went to Jamar Montgomery (Jr) for production. The junior guard was averaging 6 points per game entering the game. By halftime he had 8 points already. Montgomery found space and made himself available for easy layups to give Centerville momentum. So much so, that the Elks started to pull away and took a 29-23 lead into the half. The second half continued as a chess match with Centerville taking the lead by as much as 11 points in the quarter. Moeller would fight to get the deficit down to 4 with a sequence of Kingston Land (Jr) getting a transition dunk so powerful, one might’ve thought he had a personal vendetta with the rim. On the ensuing defensive possession, Eric Mahaffey (Sr) took a charge to get the ball back, followed by a Kazanecki 3-ball to get it down to 4. Njie would stop the bleeding with a tip-in at the buzzer to allow the Elks to maintain their lead 39-33. If any fans thought the 3rd quarter was wild, they were going to be surprised in the last 2 minutes of the game. Up by double digits again in the quarter, Moeller had to stat fouling. One of their best defenders, AJ McBride (Sr), had fouled out. The fouling worked. Centerville started to find themselves going 1-for-2 at the free throw line. On the other end, Kazanecki and Mahaffey would score and the score began to slowly get closer. At 1:25, Moeller had the deficit down to 6 points. With just 25 seconds remaining, Moeller had the deficit down to just 1-point. At 10 seconds, we were tied. The turnovers and missed free throws plagued the Elks and they found themselves entering OT with the Moeller faithful on their feet and excited to potentially steal the show. They say in OT, typically the game is indeed decided by who has the momentum. Moeller was thinking they would prove this as they jumped out early in the lead. All of a sudden, the tides seemed to be turning and it looked like Moeller was going to be making a State appearance for the first time since 2019. And then the free throw bug came to them. Moeller started to miss free throws and it allowed Centerville to erase their deficit. In the final seconds, Eli Greenburg (Jr) buried two free throws to tie the game up. The discipline of the Elks showed as they defended a Moeller drive to the rim to win the ball game. And just like that a second OT was needed. Both teams went back and forth with the second OT period, trading blows while facing adversity. Moeller, without McBride, then lost their starting PG Kyle Havens (Sr) to fouls. On the Centerville side, 4 players were sitting with 4 fouls. With just seconds to play, Moeller had the lead 69-67. Centerville had the basketball in their possession. Most people in the gym knew who might be taking the final shot. And just like that it happened. Jonathan Powell, a Xavier commit playing on his future home court, caught the ball on the wing and put up a 3-ball with heavy pressure closing out on him and buried it. Centerville had the lead 70-69 and Moeller had one more chance to try and win this game. With roughly 4 seconds left, Mahaffey possessed the ball and attacked the rim for the Crusaders. He found the paint and even got his shot up. It didn’t fall. Centerville punched their ticket for the 4th straight year to the State Final Four. The celebrating began as did the stunning looks from the Moeller portion of the fanbase. The Elks needed a full team win as 4 starters were in double figures, led by Powel with 20. Moeller in a losing effort, showed a glimpse of hope for the future. Alex Kazanecki was going to be a problem for the next several years. His 34 point performance on 11-of-16 shooting proved this. For Centerville, the next step was clear. A showdown with Toledo Whitmer. Northwest Ohio’s best team beat one of Northeast Ohio’s best teams just a few hours later on a buzzer beater of their own. All year questions have been risen on how the Elks would perform after the loss of such an incredible class, headlined by Gabe Cupps. I guess we will find out on Saturday.
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Final Score
Russia 56 Troy Christian 35 December 28, 2023. Russia met up with Troy Christian in the Piqua Holiday tournament. Both teams entered the game AP ranked in Division IV. Russia would win this matchup convincingly, earning a 64-39 victory. Many felt this game could be seen yet again. And they were right. Russia, returned to the Regional Final for the 2nd straight year. The Raiders had won 9 straight since their last and only loss of the year to Anna. In that winning streak, only once was the margin of loss single digits. Troy Christian entered the game not losing in February. In fact, the Eagles had lost just one time during the 2024 calendar year. But the wins? Impressive doesn’t even describe it. Wins over Jackson Center, Chaminade-Julienne and Ottawa-Glandorf on the road and a total of 13 wins in a row. The hype behind this rematch was real and there was certainly electricity in the air. The game started off in a 4-4 tie with both teams trading buckets in the first two minutes. Russia then did what they did all season, clamp down the defense. The Raiders would outscore the Eagles 12-0 in the final 6 minutes and took a 16-4 lead after the first period of play. Russia was keeping Parker Penrod (Sr), Troy Christian’s leading scorer and Southwest District Player of the Year in Division IV, to a minimum in his shots. The length on the perimeter made it hard for Penrod to get into his shot mechanics. If he did get penetration, 6’5 Felix Francis (Sr) was waiting in the paint. And just like he had done all year, Hayden Quinter (Sr) was making plays for the Raiders on the offensive end. It didn’t stop there. Russia would continue their defensive performance, using their length to force Troy Christian into turnovers and keeping them to another single digit quarter. The Raiders would double their output and take a 32-11 lead into the locker room. Even bigger for them? Benjamin York (Jr) had brought so much off the bench and had 13 to pace Russia at the half. Out of the half, Troy Christian was going to have to make adjustments to get Penrod open and get more shots out of him. Whatever they came up with worked. Penrod started to find rhythm and the Eagles began to try and get the ball out in transition to get more open shots. It worked. While it was an even quarter scoring wise, the Eagles at least doubled their first half scoring output with Penrod scoring 16 of 23 as the Eagles trailed 43-23. From there, the game continued at the pace until the curtain calls began for both teams. For the Eagles, somber as their senior class of Penrod, Frank Rupnik, Alex Free, and Christian Brunsman came off the floor for the final times in their high school careers. This group had done something not seen at Troy Christian since 2013. An undefeated conference record, convincing victories in the tournament, Troy Christian earned the round of applause for those seniors. On the opposite side of the arena, joy overcame the Russia faithful. For the 2nd time in a row, Russia was going to be playing in the State Final Four. Many of these players had been part of the run last year. Now they were going to try and make history. Their opponent? Talk about déjà vu… Richmond Heights is awaiting the Raiders. Their quest for a 3rd crown means they have to beat Russia. In Dayton. For the 2nd time in a row. Against a hungry and inspired Russia team. It was a tale of two games Thursday at Butler. On a night where storms rolled through, all eyes were focused on the basketball, especially at the Division II Regional. In Region 8, two expected teams were competing, as well as two teams not many expected.
Alter entered the tournament the presumed favorite in the Region. This would be their third straight appearance in the Regional Finals if they win and they had a team that was playing extremely well. Jonathan Alder was not expected to be here. Entering their District tournament as a 6-seed, the Pioneers had beaten the 3-seed (Bishop Ready) and the 5-seed (Bishop Watterson) on back-to-back games to earn this spot. The way is started, it was going to be close. Offense was at a minimum and Alder actually led after one period 8-7. The 50+ mile drive to North Dayton clearly wasn’t going to phase the Pioneers. Then, Alter woke up. The Knights got hot behind RJ Greer, who scored 8 straight points and got Alter the lead back and then some. Gavin Leen and Joe Brand contributed as well and the next thing you know, Alter led by 14 going into halftime. Out of the half was much of the same, Alter’s zone defense was too much for Alder. The Pioneers’ Peyton Heiss made shots, but couldn’t make enough to outpace Alter. The Knights would add to the lead getting it up to 27 points. Jonathan Alder cut into going into the 4th quarter. Alter would win 63-42 and punch their ticket to the Regional Finals. Final Score Alter 63 Jonathan Alder 42 Then came the second game, similar to the first. You had the Wyoming Cowboys, the 1-seed in Cincinnati, who started 4 sophomores and were one of the youngest teams in the area. Then you had Badin. The Rams were the 9-seed, entering the tournament not expected to get as far as they did with a first year head coach. It was truly a David and Goliath feel. And it lived to the hype. Both teams brought crowds that had energy and student sections in full force. Similar to the previous game before, the offense was not on display right away. Wyoming got an early lead with Devin Evans burying 2 triples and getting a 10-7 lead. Even in the deficit though, Badin was winning the physical game. 50/50 balls were going their way. The rebounds filled up. Defensively, they held Wyoming under 20 points in the half. Everything scripted was going their way. There was just one problem. The Rams had 5 shots literally rim out and the offense was not flowing. Trailing 18-11 at the half, Badin needed a change of momentum. Coach CJ Fleming had his team pick up the pressure and started to speed up the Cowboys and their young guards. And it worked. Turnovers and missed shots plagued Wyoming. The biggest momentum shift came at the end of the game when Aidan Brown attempted a halfcourt shot at the buzzer. He was fouled and hit 2 of 3 free throws. With the game now 27-22 in favor of Wyoming, you started to wonder if Badin was going to win this low scoring matchup. That is, until Kellen Wiley decided it was time to kick it up a notch. The sophomore guard made plays and created turnovers which in turn became transition buckets. All of the sudden, Wyoming stole the show and added to their lead. They instituted a 2-3 zone and forced Badin to shoot the ball from the perimeter. And the shots just weren’t falling. The Rams fought. They were the more physical team and the adjustments made would have worked perfectly. But it just wasn’t their night from the floor. Wyoming held on 50-38 to push the young Cowboys in the Region Finals where they will meet the Alter Knights. Both teams were the expected favorites. The top seeds in Dayton and Cincinnati respectively. And it’s only fitting they will battle it out to determine who goes to Dayton. Final Score Wyoming 50 Badin 38 Top Performers Gavin Leen- Alter’s senior guard continues to be a force for the Knights on the offensive side of the ball. Running the point and handling the ball, Leen is the director of the Alter orchestra. His basketball IQ is off the charts. Makes some of the tougher passes and moves so well without the basketball in hand. Leen has shown he can shoot the ball off the dribble or off the catch, none bigger than a big shot at the buzzer to end the 3rd quarter. His leadership in the backcourt is a big reason why the Knights are where they are. Kellen Wiley- Wyoming’s top scorer has shown twice why he’s a force to recon with on the offensive side of the ball. Only a sophomore, Wiley’s handle stays clean whether he’s sped up or in a half-court setting. Utilizing a quick crossover and convincing hesitation dribble, Wiley breaks you down on the perimeter and turns on the burners to explode off the drive. While his shot mechanics aren’t the most clean, it still is effective and forces defenders to choose to allow the shot or take away driving lanes. Wiley’s biggest impact came on the defensive end as he read passing lanes and created turnovers for the Cowboys in the final quarter. Tasked with defending Badin’s Cooper Ollis, Wiley moves well on defense and isn’t beat easily. Region 12
Preble Shawnee vs Tri-Village This Regional Semifinal matchup will be a rematch between the 2 Western Ohio Athletic Conference (WOAC) foes. These 2 met on February 16th with Preble Shawnee winning 49-35 in New Madison. While the Patriots are the top seed, they have certainly faced their share of tight games this postseason. Tri-Village won their District Semifinal 45-43 over Waynesville and then survived against Summit Country Day 49-46 in the District Final. They have one of the best shooters in the District in Trey Sagester (So) and one of the better facilitators in Tanner Printz (Sr). This group may not have as many scoring options as past years, but they still have one of the best coaches in Josh Sagester and they still play the physical brand of basketball that Tri-Village has thrived on for the last several years. Preble Shawnee has played well so far this postseason and capped it off with a convincing 61-52 victory of Williamsburg in the District Final. The Arrows have been here before after making the Regional Finals last year and returning many of those guys in the process. Mason Shrout (Sr) was the District Player of the Year in Division III and the leading scorer in the WOAC. He’s got size around him in 6-foot-8 Logan Hawley (Sr) and experienced guard in Isaac Blankenship (Sr). On paper, the Arrows might have the most talent and are playing their best basketball currently. This rematch is must-watch basketball. Will Preble Shawnee be able to beat Coach Josh Sagester twice in the same season? Can Tri-Village shoot the 3-ball better after going 2-for-13 in their first meeting with the Arrows? Does Mason Shrout only score 14 points again? All of this is key in whoever takes this game. Versailles vs Mariemont Versailles’ record and seed may not indicate how good this tea really is. The Tigers have been to the Regional round multiple times in the last 15 years and this year did it in a thrilling way. After beating Arcanum, the Tigers upset 2-seeded Indian Lake 43-42 on a Drake Ahrens (So) buzzer beater. A few nights later, the Tigers convincingly defeated Gamble Montessori 74-55 to punch their ticket back to Regionals. Ahrens plays more mature for his grade and can do so much offensively outside scoring. Carson Heitkamp (Sr) is a low post machine after achieving a double-double (17 pts, 22 rebounds) in the District Final. Jace Watren (Jr) has the verticality and athleticism that he pinned multiple shots against the Gators and brings some weak side rim protection for the Tigers. Mariemont is the lone Cincinnati team in this Regional after erasing a 12-point deficit to defeat Brookville 78-70 in OT. While the Warriors may not have 20+ point victories throughout the postseason, they do have a group that has played a physical brand of basketball that has guided them to reach their 2nd Regional tournament in the last 3 years. It starts with their senior leader Charlie Tully (Sr), who has been instrumental for the Warriors throughout the year. His leadership on both ends of the floor is hard to match. Sam Stalzer (So) is the #1 guy offensively but really impacts with his two-way capabilities. His brother Socko Stalzer (Sr) is another glue guy that brings tenacity on the defensive end. Neither of these teams will play fast, and both have no problem being a more halfcourt focused team. Mariemont thrives on their defense while Versailles wants to run their sets and execute often. The key in this one will be who is the tougher team? Versailles dominated the stat sheet against Gamble while Mariemont demonstrated grit erasing the deficit they created and earning a win in OT. The tougher team is the one that is going to ultimately win this one. |
Written by: Tony PetersEdited and Published by: Seth Keim Archives
March 2024
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