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2019 Boys Basketball State Tournament Recaps

Division I Final

Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller Caps Perfect Season With State Title

No. 1 Moeller defeats St. Vincent-St. Mary 52-44 for fifth boys basketball championship
 
COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 1 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (29-0) defeated No. 7 Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (24-4) 52-44 to win the 2019 OHSAA boys basketball Division I state championship Saturday night at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
 
Moeller's victory capped off the first undefeated season in OHSAA Division I boys basketball history since Zanesville did so in 1995. Dating back to last season, the Crusaders have amassed 49-straight victories and back-to-back state titles.
 
After entering the halftime locker room deadlocked at 17, the difference in the game came down to the fourth quarter, where Moeller outscored the Irish 21-14. To end the game, Moeller hit five of its last seven shots, while St. Vincent-St. Mary only hit two of its final 10 attempts.
 
"This season was a long journey, and we had a lot of pressure on us to finish this way," said Moeller head coach Carl Kremer following the game. "I'm glad the game ended the way it did, it was a battle and we really had to fight for it."
 
The Crusaders were led by its two All-Ohio honorees, seniors Miles McBride, a first-teamer, and Alec Pfriem, a third-teamer. They combined to score 35 of the team's 52 points, while Pfriem also led the team in rebounding with eight.
 
Sophomore guard Seth Wilson was the lone double-digit scorer for St. Vincent-St. Mary with 19 points.
 
Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary was making its 16th trip to the state tournament and 12th appearance in the state title game. The Irish have an OHSAA-record eight state championships.
 
Attendance for the game was 8,675.

Division IV Final

Convoy Crestview Wins Second OHSAA Boys Basketball State Title

Knights defeat Berlin Hiland 58-38 in Division IV State Championship
 
COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 2 Convoy Crestview (28-1) defeated No. 1 Berlin Hiland (28-2) 58-38 to win the 2019 OHSAA Division IV boys basketball state championship on Saturday at the Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus.
 
The vicory marks Crestview’s second state title in four total state tournament appearances.
 
Crestview started the game hot, as they jumped out to an early 10-0 lead, but Hiland countered to tie the game at 19 with three minutes to go in the first half.
 
Unfazed by Hiland’s determination, Crestview's championship-defining moment came in the form of another 10-0 run to close the first half. The Knights’ 10-point halftime advantage was the closest Hiland would come for the remainder of the game.
 
“I really didn’t care for our demeanor,” Crestview head coach Jeremy Best said after the game. “We started the game up 10-0 and let up, so, I called a timeout [after Hiland tied it at 19] and told the guys it was time to lock in. We did that and carried the momentum into the third quarter like we’ve done all year.”
 
Four Crestview players combined to score 56 of its 58 total points—senior Wade Sheets scored 21 points, sophomore Kalen Etzler scored 14 points, senior Derick Dealey scored 11 points and first team All-Ohio senior Javin Etzler finished with a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Senior Andy Miller led Hiland with a team-high 13 points. Junior Sam Haberger was the only other player to score in double digits for the Hawks, finishing with 12 points and a team-high five rebounds.
 
Hiland was making its second straight state tournament appearance and 11th overall.
 
Attendance for the game was 9,105.

Division II Final

Rams Claim First State Championship in Division II Thriller

No. 1 Trotwood-Madison defeats Columbus South 77-73 for first boys hoops state title  
 
COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 1 Trotwood-Madison (28-2) defeated Columbus South (28-2) 77-73 in the 2019 OHSAA Division II boys basketball state championship Saturday at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
 
Trotwood-Madison’s victory marked their first ever state championship in five trips to the state tournament. The Rams were Division I runners-up in 2006. The Rams' 77 points in the final caps a record-breaking season in which the Rams scored 3,015 points; the most in OHSAA history, breaking the record by nearly 400 points.
 
Trotwood-Madison held a 22-21 lead over Columbus South after the first quarter, but the Bulldogs came back and outscored Trotwood 39-32 through the second and third quarters and held a 68-60 advantage with 5:34 left in the game.
 
Over the next 1:32, Trotwood reeled off 10 straight points to hold a two-point advantage with four minutes left in the game.
 
South responded with a 5-0 run of its own to regain the lead with 3:45 left; however, this is the last time that South was able to put points on the board, as Trotwood closed the game on a 7-0 run to give the Rams their four-point win.
 
“We felt like we were in better shape,” Trotwood-Madison head coach Rocky Rockhold said after the game when asked about the difference in the fourth quarter. “So, if we could keep it close or take a lead and have them chasing us late in the game, then we would be in a good position to win it.”
 
The Division II Player of the Year, Trotwood senior guard Amari Davis, put up a game-high 24 points. Junior guard Sammy Anderson scored 20 points and had seven rebounds, while junior Carl Blanton added 17 points of his own.
 
Junior guard Trevell Adams and junior center Samual Barton led Columbus South with 16 points each.
 
 
Columbus South is taking home its third boys basketball runner-up trophy in school history after qualifying for the state tournament for the seventh time and first time since 1986.
 
Attendance for the game was 9,881.

Division III Final

Division III Player of the Year, Harvest Prep's CJ Anthony, Shines in State Championship

No. 1 Harvest Prep defeats Lutheran East 55-42 for first boys hoops state title
 
COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 1 Canal Winchester Harvest Preparatory (28-2) defeated Cleveland Heights Lutheran East (20-9) 55-42 in the OHSAA Division III boys basketball state championship Saturday at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
 
It was a quick start for Harvest Prep, as the Warriors jumped out to a 16-8 lead after the first quarter. Defense was the key in the stanza, as they held Lutheran East to 3-of-16 shooting in the opening quarter.
 
The Lutheran East offense was able to get on track in the second quarter, shooting 7-of-11 from the field, but Harvest Prep countered by hitting its final five shots of the half, taking a 10-point lead into the locker room. Harvest Prep senior, and Division III Player of the Year, CJ Anthony paced the Warriors offense with 14 first-half points.
 
Even with a Harvest Prep scoring drought of nearly five minutes in the third quarter, Lutheran East was unable to cut the lead to less than eight at any point in the second half.
 
Anthony finished with a game-high 21 points for the Warriors, while fellow senior guard Soul Hines added 13 points on a perfect shooting performance (4-4 FG, 3-3 3FG, 2-2 FT) and senior Elijah Glenn contributed 14 points and five rebounds.
 
Lutheran East was led by junior forward Nehemiah Benson, who finished with team-highs in points and rebounds with 13 and nine, respectively. First Team All-Ohio sophomore EJ Farmer struggled from the field for the Falcons, shooting 3-of-18 from the field and 1-of-12 from three-point land. Overall, the Falcons shot 19-of-60 from the field and 2-of-26 from three.
 
Following the game, Harvest Prep head coach David Dennis touched on the Warriors defensive game plan.
 
"We watched film on them and have seen them have good shooting games and bad. We were going to let them shoot and make a bunch of threes if they were going to win. We wanted to pack the paint, stop the drives and penetration and rebound, with us being so undersized."
 
This was Lutheran East's first runner-up finish after winning the title in its previous two state championship game appearances in 2005 and 2017.
 
Harvest Prep's first boys basketball state championship comes in its fourth appearance in the title game.
 
Attendance for the game was 7,714.

Division I Semifinals

No. 1 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller 72, Lakewood St. Edward 52

Box Score | Full Stats

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 1 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (28-0) defeated Lakewood St. Edward (19-9) 72-52 Friday evening in the first OHSAA Division I state semifinal game at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
 
In its third straight trip to the state tournament, Moeller was unaffected by the big stage and got off to a hot start offensively. The Crusaders shot 79% in the first half and led St. Edward 38-25 at the half. A lead that they would never relinquish.
 
Leading the way for the Crusaders was senior Alec Pfriem, a third team All-Ohio honoree, with a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds. First team All-Ohio senior Miles McBride finished with 13 points and five rebounds.  
 
Juniors Grant Huffman and Devontae Blanton led St. Edward with 15 points each.
 
The unbeaten Crusaders will be going for their second straight championship against the winner of the second Division I semifinal between Powell Olentangy Liberty and No. 7 Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.

No. 7 Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary 58, Powell Olentangy Liberty 49

Box Score | Full Stats

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 7 Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (24-3) defeated Powell Olentangy Liberty (24-5) 58-49 Friday night in the second OHSAA Division I state semifinal game at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
 
In its fourth straight year qualifying for the state tournament, St. Vincent-St. Mary pulled out an early lead. For the Fighting Irish, second team All-Ohio honoree Lunden McDay put up a team-high 21 points. Senior Chris Painter put up 13 points while senior Darius Cone and sophomore Malaki Branham each added 10.
 
Olentangy Liberty qualified for its first ever basketball state tournament. The Patriots’ senior and first team All-Ohioan Ben Roderick scored a game-high 25 points and had nine rebounds. Senior Joey Thatcher added 11 points.
 
With a win tonight, St. Vincent-St. Mary will be playing for its ninth overall and third straight basketball state championship. A victory would make for the only Division I trophy.
 
The Fighting Irish will be facing No. 1 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller. The game will tip off Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
 
Attendance for session four was 12,080.

Division IV Semifinals

No. 1 Berlin Hiland 57, No. 3 St. Henry 50

COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 1 Berlin Hiland (28-1) defeated No. 3 St. Henry (24-4) 57-50 in the first OHSAA Division IV boys basketball semifinal Friday at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
 
Up one entering the fourth quarter, Berlin Hiland came out hot and opened the quarter with an 8-0 run including two three-pointers by senior Kendall Hochstetler.
 
St. Henry was unfazed by the Hawks' momentum and countered with an 11-4 run of its own to cut the Hiland lead to three with 1:34 remaining.
 
With an opportunity to make it a one-point game, St. Henry senior Jay Knapke missed the front end of a one-and-one and St. Henry was forced to foul following the miss. The Hiland lead quickly went back to seven via free throws, ending St. Henry's hopes of a sixth state championship game birth.
 
Hiland junior Sam Habeger led the Hawks in scoring with 17 points, while senior Andy Miller contributing 14 points of his own.
 
St. Henry senior center Caden Niekamp finished with 13 point and eight rebounds, and senior Jay Knapke led the team with 17 points.
 
Berlin Hiland will be making its first appearance in the championship game since winning back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012.

No. 2 Convoy Crestview 59, Richmond Heights 49

Box Score | Full Stats

COLUMBUS, Ohio –  No. 2 Convoy Crestview (27-1) defeated Richmond Heights (21-7) 59-49 in the Division IV state semifinals Friday at Jerome Schottenstein Center.
 
After eight lead changes, the Crestview Knights managed to finish on top after dominating the third quarter by outscoring Richmond Heights 21-10. First Team All-Ohioan Javin Etzler scored a game-high 25 points, while senior Derick Dealey scored 18. Combined they accounted for more than half of the Knights’ points.
 
Richmond started off strong in the third quarter with a 7-0 scoring run. Outside of the 7-0 run however, the Spartans struggled to score with three scoring droughts of over two minutes in the second half.
 
Leading the way for the Spartans was First Team All-Ohioan, senior Curtis Houston II with 13 points. Right behind him were junior Gbolahan Adio and Sophomore Jamarr Talbert Jr. scoring 12 and 10 respectively.
 
This was Richmond Heights’ first state tournament appearance.
 
Convoy Crestview will be looking to win its second OHSAA boys basketball state title against Berlin Hiland Saturday at 5:15 p.m.
 
Session three attendance was 11,327. 

Division II Semifinals

No. 2 Columbus South 77, Thornville Sheridan 55

Box Score | Full Stats

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 2 Columbus South (28-1) defeated Thornville Sheridan (22-6) 77-55 in the Division II state semifinals Thursday at Jerome Schottenstein Center.

The victory sends the Columbus South Bulldogs to their first boys basketball state championship in 33 years.
 
Bulldogs’ senior Alvin Byrd was the game’s leading scorer with 18 points.
 
South controlled the game from the start, leading 25 to 10 at the end of the first quarter. Sheridan did its best to come back with a 9-0 scoring run in the second quarter, but the Generals were unable to overcome the deficit and produced one of their lowest scoring outputs of the season.
 
Leading the way for the Generals was Second Team All-Ohioan senior Ethan Heller and sophomore Landon Russell who combined for a total of 30 points and 12 rebounds.
 
This was the Generals’ first appearance in state tournament.
 
The Bulldogs will be returning to the Schottenstein Center on Saturday at 2 p.m., playing against the winner of Akron Buchtel and No. 1 Trotwood-Madison. South is hoping to bring home their first state boys basketball championship since 1965.

No. 1 Trotwood-Madison 102, Akron Buchtel 72

Box Score | Full Stats

 
COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 1 Trotwood Madison (27-2) defeated Akron Buchtel (20-8) 102-72 in the Division II state semifinals Thursday at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
 
Leading the way for Trotwood was Division II Player of the Year senior Amari Davis, who finished with a game-high 33 points. Davis was within one point of tying the record for most points in a semifinal game. Junior Carl Blanton added 21 points of his own.
 
Trotwood’s 102 points is the most scored in a state tournament game across all divisions since 1988 and marks the third most points in a state tournament game.
 
With one game remaining in the season, the Rams have 2,938 points, the most in OHSAA history, with the second most being 2,617.
 
Akron Buchtel was making its sixth trip to the state tournament and its first appearance since 1997. Leading the Griffins was sophomore Ronnie Perie II with 16 points. Senior Jonathan King finished with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds.
 
The Rams will be looking to win their first boys basketball state championship in school history Saturday at 2:00 p.m. against No. 2 Columbus South.
 
Attendance for session two was 10,843.

Division III Semifinals

No. 2 Canal Winchester Harvest Prep 48, No. 5 Cincinnati Purcell Marian 41

 
COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 2 Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (27-2) defeated No. 5 Cincinnati Purcell Marian 48-41 in the OHSAA Division III boys basketball state semifinals Thursday at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
 
In its lowest scoring output of the season, Harvest Prep was up just one with 2:04 remaining in the game when senior Raymond Robinson hit a three and started a 7-0 Warriors run that clinched the state championship birth.
 
Harvest Prep junior guard, and Division III Player of the Year, Christopher Anthony was the game's leading scorer with 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting.
 
Purcell Marian's leading scorer was senior Javonte Lyons, who finished with 15 points.
 
This was Purcell Marian's third trip to the state tournament with its previous appearances ending in a runner-up finish in 2000 and a state championship in 1985.
 
Harvest Prep will be looking to win its first boys basketball state championship Saturday when they play the winner of the second Division III semifinal between Cleveland Heights Lutheran East and Oregon Cardinal Stritch.

Cleveland Heights Lutheran East 58, Oregon Cardinal Stritch Catholic 53

 
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Cleveland Heights Lutheran East (20-8) defeated Oregon Cardinal Stritch (24-4) 58-53 in the second OHSAA Division III boys basketball semifinal Thursday at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
 
Cardinal Stritch led 13-8 after the first quarter and continued to hold its lead until midway through the second quarter when Lutheran East turned up the pressure.
From the 3:56 mark in the second quarter until  3:22 left in the third quarter, Lutheran East went on a 21-4 run to take a 14-point lead.
 
Despite its best effort, outscoring Lutheran East by five in the fourth quarter, Cardinal Stritch was unable to come back from the deficit, falling five points short.
 
E.J. Farmer, a sophomore First Team All-Ohio guard for the Lutheran East, was the Falcons' leading scorer with 15 points, while junior Nehemiah Benson added 12 points.
 
Junior guard Joey Holifield, a Third Team All-Ohioan, was the game's leading scorer and rebounder with 22 and 9, respectively.
 
This was Cardinal Stritch's first trip to the state tournament.
 
Lutheran East will be looking to win its third state championship Saturday when they face off against No. 2 Harvest Prep at 10:45 a.m.
 
Attendance for session one, consisting of both Division III semifinal games, was 8,089.