Division IV Semifinal #1
Berlin Hiland 62, Lima Central Catholic 59 (2 OT)
DAYTON, Ohio - Nick Wigton’s three-pointer at the buzzer in the second overtime lifted Berlin Hiland to a 62-59 win over Lima Central Catholic in the first Division IV semifinal at University of Dayton Arena.
Hiland (23-6) advances to Sunday’s state championship game. LCC closes its season at 26-3 after its 10th trip to the state tournament.
Hiland called timeout with 31 seconds remaining and held for a final shot. As the clock ticked under 10 seconds, Sammy Detweiler drove toward the right block, spun and passed to Logan Hershberger at the top of the key. Hershberger’s touch-pass found Wigton open on the left wing, and his jumper from five feet behind the three-point line swished through as time expired.
Hiland led by as many as 16 points in the opening minutes of the second quarter, but LCC trimmed the deficit to 10 by halftime, three after three quarters and eventually took its first lead, 43-42, on a jumper by Carson Parker with 6:14 left in regulation.
The teams were tied at 51 at the end of regulation and 55 after the first overtime period. In the second extra session, Wigton and Parker traded baskets to open the scoring, Alex Miller’s layup gave Hiland a two-point lead with 43 seconds left, and Parker made two free throws to tie the score for a final time.
Hiland was 14 of 20 from the floor (70 percent) in the first half, including 6 of 8 on three-pointers, and finished 25 of 46 (54.3 percent) from the floor, including 9 of 17 from three. Hiland held 16-3 rebounding edge in the first half and 35-20 for the game.
Detweiler led Hiland with 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 5 of 8 from three. Wigton finished with 17 points, while Miller and Sam Wengerd had nine apiece.
Jordan Priddy played all 40 minutes and scored 24 points to lead Lima Central Catholic. Parker scored 23.
It was the 17th multi-overtime game in state tournament history.
Division IV Semifinal #2
Richmond Heights 65, Russia 52
DAYTON, Ohio - Richmond Heights will play in its third consecutive Division IV state championship game after defeating Russia, 65-52, in the second state semifinal at University of Dayton Arena.
Richmond Heights ended the game on a 23-10 run after Russia tied the score at 42 on the opening possession of the fourth quarter.
Richmond Heights’ DeErick Barber, Jr. led all scorers with 17 points. He also handed out six assists while playing all 32 minutes. Dorian Jones played just 17:13 before fouling out, but made 6 of 7 shots, scored 16 points and blocked four shots. Demaris Winters, Jr. added 15 points, while Hosea Steele, Jr. had eight points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Brayden Monnin had 15 points to lead three Russia players in double figures. Benjamin York and Felix Francis both scored 12 points, while Francis also grabbed nine rebounds.
Richmond Heights (18-9) will play in its third consecutive Division IV state title game, seeking its third straight state title. Russia, after making its second straight appearance, and third overall, in the state tournament, ends its season at 27-2.
After falling behind 14-5 early, Russia outscored Richmond Heights 16-7 over a six-minute span to tie the score at 21 midway through the second quarter. The score was tied two more times but Richmond Heights never trailed and led by two, 31-29, at halftime.
Russia’s York connected on a three-pointer on the opening possession of the fourth quarter to tie the score for the final time. From there, Richmond Heights scored seven straight as part of a 10-2 run and Russia never drew closer than six points down the stretch.
Division III Semifinal #1
Canal Winchester Harvest Prep 61, Ottawa-Glandorf 59
DAYTON, Ohio - Canal Winchester Harvest Prep withstood a fourth-quarter rally by Ottawa-Glandorf, making a defensive stop on the final possession to secure a 61-59 win and advance to the Division III state championship game.
Harvest Prep led by 11 points entering the final quarter, but O-G outscored the Warriors 24-15 in the final period and drew within two points five times—and one point once—in final four minutes. On each occasion, however, Harvest Prep answered with a basket or a defensive stop and never relinquished the lead.
Harvest Prep (24-4) advances to its fourth state championship game, having won a Division III state title in 2019 and finishing runner-up in Division IV in 2015 and 2007. Ottawa-Glandorf (24-4) was making its fourth consecutive appearance in the state tournament; the Titans were runners-up in Division III in 2022 and 2023.
Ottawa-Glandorf led 8-3 in the game’s opening minutes, but Harvest Prep finished the first quarter on a 16-6 run and led 19-14 after one period. An 8-0 run by Harvest Prep stretched the lead to 10, 27-17, midway through the second quarter, and the lead was still 10, 31-21, at halftime.
Harvest Prep led 46-35 entering the fourth quarter, but Ottawa-Glandorf opened the period with 12-3 run to draw within 49-47 and set up the back-and-forth finish.
Colin White, named Ohio’s Mr. Basketball earlier in the week, posted 32 points, 13 rebounds, four steals, and five blocked shots for Ottawa-Glandorf. Caden Erford added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Adonus Abrams had 26 points and six steals for Harvest Prep. Khalil Daniels was also in double figures with 10 points.
Division III Semifinal #2
Cleveland Heights Lutheran East 63, Camden Preble Shawnee 44
DAYTON, Ohio - Ronald Taylor made five three-pointers and scored 21 points to lead Cleveland Heights Lutheran East to a 63-44 win over Camden Preble Shawnee in the second Division III state semifinal at University of Dayton Arena.
Lutheran East will play in a state championship game for the third time in four years; the Falcons won Division III state titles in their last two championship game appearances in 2021 and 2023.
Preble Shawnee (24-4), making its first appearance in the state tournament, was led by Mason Shrout’s 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Lutheran East scored the game’s first 17 points and never trailed. Preble Shawnee opened the second half on a 14-6 run to draw within 10 points, 37-27, but Lutheran East kept the margin in double figures the rest of the way.
Jesse McCulloch had a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds for Lutheran East, while Anthony Bruce added 10 points.
Brody Morton (16 points) joined Shrout in double figures for Preble Shawnee.
Division II Semifinal #1
Kettering Archbishop Alter 73, Youngstown Ursuline 37
DAYTON, Ohio - Kettering Archbishop Alter shot 28 of 45 from the floor (62.2 percent), including 9 of 19 from three, on its way to a 73-37 win over Youngstown Ursuline in the first Division II state semifinal at University of Dayton Arena.
Alter (22-7) advances to Sunday’s 5:15 p.m. state championship game. The Knights will be making their fifth state title game appearance and first since 2003.
Ursuline (24-4) made its first trip to the state tournament since winning the Division III state title in 1994.
R.J. Greer shot 9 of 11 from the floor, including 4 of 5 from three, and scored 24 points to lead a balanced Alter scoring effort. Joe Brand made 5 of 7 shots and all six of his free throws for 17 points, while Brady Conner made 5 of 6 shots and finished with 10 points.
Jaylen Gunther and Jaden Payne both scored 11 points for Ursuline.
Alter led 20-4 after the first quarter, with 15 of its points coming off eight Ursuline turnovers, and the margin remained 10 points or more over the final three quarters. Alter finished the game with 21 assists on 28 made field goals, held a 32-21 rebounding edge and scored 38 of its 73 points in the paint.
Division II Semifinal #2
Zanesville Maysville 68, Shelby 65
DAYTON, Ohio - Zanesville Maysville will play in its first state championship game after defeating Shelby, 68-65, in the second Division II semifinal at University of Dayton Arena.
Maysville won its 22nd consecutive game to improve to 26-3 overall. Shelby, after making its first appearance at the state tournament, ends its season at 25-3 overall.
Neither team led by more than five points, the lead changed hands 10 times, and the score was tied for a 15th and final time—59-all—when Shelby’s Alex Bruskotter split a pair of free throws with 2:17 remaining. Maysville’s Jordyn Watson scored on a driving layup at the other end of the floor, then Alex Bobb stole the inbounds pass and converted a three-point play to give Maysville a 64-59 lead with 1:44 remaining. Maysville made 4 of 6 foul shots in the final 34 seconds to seal the win.
Shelby made 24 of 43 shots from the floor (55.8 percent), including 6 of 14 from three, and was 11 of 14 at the foul line. Maysville shot 23 for 50 (46.0 percent), including 9 of 23 from three, and made 13 of 15 foul shots. Maysville committed just two turnovers, none in the second half.
Shelby’s Bruskotter tied a Division II state semifinal record with 34 points. He played all 32 minutes, making 13 of 16 shots from the floor including four three-pointer, and added eight rebounds.
Casey Lantz had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Shelby.
Watson, Bobb and Gator Nicholas accounted for 66 of Maysville’s 68 points. Watson had 26 points, Bobb scored 22 and Nicholas finished with 18.
Division I Semifinal #1
Cleveland St. Ignatius 54, Delaware Hayes 53
DAYTON, Ohio - Quinn Woidke’s basket with 13 seconds remaining lifted Cleveland St. Ignatius to a 54-53 win over Delaware Hayes in the first Division I state semifinal at University of Dayton Arena.
St. Ignatius led by as many as 11 points in the first half but trailed by three entering the game’s final minute. Damon Friery scored in the paint to cut the Delaware Hayes lead to 53-52 with 50 seconds remaining, and the St. Ignatius defense forced a turnover as the clock ticked under 30 seconds.
Woidke drove to the basket out of a timeout and scored what proved to be the game-winner; Delaware Hayes had two challenged shots in the final five seconds that did not fall.
St. Ignatius led 19-11 after one quarter and 31-23 at halftime, but Delaware Hayes, behind 12 points from Landon Vanderwarker, won the third quarter 20-8 and took a 43-39 into the fourth quarter.
The lead changed hands five times in the fourth quarter, the final time on Woidke’s bucket with 13 seconds remaining.
Vanderwarker finished with a game-high 21 points. He also collected nine rebounds and blocked four shots. Jesse Burris added 17 points for Delaware Hayes.
Friery led St. Ignatius with 16 points, and Woidke finished with 15. Reece Robinson scored just four points but led all players with 13 rebounds and also blocked three shots.
St. Ignatius improves to 25-3 overall and advances to its third state championship game. The Wildcats won a state title in 2001 and finished runner-up in 1998.
Delaware Hayes, which had won 21 straight games entering its first state tournament appearance, closes its season at 27-2 overall.
Division I Semifinal #2
Centerville 58, Toledo Whitmer 39
DAYTON, Ohio - Centerville will play in its third state championship game in the last four years after defeating Toledo Whitmer, 58-39, in the second Division I state semifinal at University of Dayton Arena.
Eli Greenberg scored 19 points, Jamar Montgomery had 14 and Jonathan Powell had 10 to lead Centerville. The Elks shot 20 of 37 from the floor (54.1 percent), including 5 of 9 from three, and 13 of 16 (81.3 percent) at the foul line.
Centerville, the 2021 Division I state champion and 2022 runner-up, improved to 20-8 overall. Whitmer, in its fifth state tournament and first since finishing runner-up in 2012, ends its season at 25-3 overall.
Centerville made seven of its 11 field goal attempts in the first quarter and led 15-6 after the opening eight minutes. Whitmer had drawn within two points, 18-16, but Centerville outscored Whitmer 19-9 over a 10-minute stretch that spanned the second and third quarters and led by 12, 37-25, entering the final quarter. Centerville then closed the game out by making 7 of 12 shots from the field and 5 of 6 field goals in the fourth quarter.
Antione West, Jr. finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals for Whitmer.