COLUMBUS, Ohio—The 38th annual OHSAA State Tournament has come and gone and some things in the Buckeye State have stayed the same while others have changed. One thing that hasn’t changed is that the Ohio State Tournament is one of the most competitive and well run events in scholastic basketball. Four classes crowned champions for the 2013 season Saturday and players, fans and media alike we’re treated to some exciting play by both teams and individuals.
Here’s a quick look at the results of each championship game as well as just who and what made the difference in the outcome. Check back with Blue Star Media later this week for some observations and evaluations on some of the talented individuals from Ohio who made the trip to Columbus with their teams this week.
DIVISION I
Nobody may believe more in the cliché “third time’s a charm” than the Firebirds from Kettering Fairmont High School. After dropping back to back championship games to Twinsburg in 2011 and 2012 they made sure “13” was their lucky number and posted an exciting 52 – 48 win to claim the school’s first ever state championship.
Twinsburg who came into the game with an unblemished record held a 24 – 22 lead at the break. A 16 to 7 third period gave the Firebirds control of the game but they in turn had to withstand Ashley Morrissette’s 15 point onslaught in the final period making it a game of possessions down the stretch through the final buzzer. Makayla Waterman led Fairmont with 24 on 7 of 12 shooting from the floor and a 10 of 11 performance from the line. Kathryn Westbeld came through with a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds that included an impressive 6 of 12 effort.
Twinsburg outscored the new champs from the floor 40 to 34 but came up short at the line as Fairmont went 18 for 23 to the Tigers effective but minimal 8 for 9 free throw production. Both teams pulled 21 rebounds and both got 12 off the offensive glass. Twinsburg committed 14 turnovers while Fairmont gave it up just 11 times. The game was tied 5 different times while there were four lead changes. The Firebirds tied things up for the last time with 6:49 in the third quarter and took the lead for good on two Waterman free throws just 1:13 later.
No wrap up would be complete without mentioning Morrissette’s fourth quarter effort once more. The recently crowned Miss Basketball demonstrated a relentless effort that impressed even the Fairmont Faithful and made them just a bit uncomfortable down the stretch. Finishing 9 of 17 from the floor, 4 for 6 from three point range and a perfect 5 for 5 from the line, she offered up a bit of what makes the folks at Purdue University excited that she’ll be coming their way next season.
DIVISION II
State runner up in 2007 and 2008 followed by five consecutive championships is something few players or programs on any level can lay claim to. Hathaway Brown can count themselves among that elite sorority and their 56 – 44 win over West Holmes saw them take the first lead and never give it up. The Blazers are the first team in OHSAA history to reach seven straight finals as well as the first to claim five crowns.
Senior forward Nia Marshall stepped up big producing 17 points and 18 rebounds but may have impacted the game more so at the defensive end with her lock down of West Holmes standout forward junior Laina Snyder. Fellow senior Vanessa Smith struggled with foul trouble throughout but still finished with 11 points in a winning effort. The Lady Knight’s Snyder found the going tough finishing with just 8 points on 4 for 10 shooting with 2 of her field goals coming in the closing minutes. Senior Rachelle Morrison led West Holmes with 13 while junior backcourt mate Paiten Strother chipped in 10 of her own.
The five time champs jumped out by 10 after one and added 2 to the total for a 28 – 18 halftime margin. West Holmes cut three off that gap in the third but the Blazers exploited the free throw line down the stretch for the final 12 point margin. Unfortunately for the Lady Knights this was the second consecutive year that their season came up one game short compliments of Hathaway Brown.
West Holmes did finish with one more field goal than Hathaway Brown but a 20 for 34 free throw effort by the Blazers countered a limited 4 of 6 offering by the folks from Millersburg. The battle on the boards went to HB by 3 as did the turnover total, 10 to 15. Both teams shot over 40 percent from the floor as a team with the Blazers connecting on 17 of 38 and Lady Knights coming home 18 of 45 on the afternoon.
DIVISION III
Anna waited a year to walk on the championship stage again after last season’s heartbreaking overtime loss and when they did they found the very same foe that broke their hearts last March. The Rockets left no doubt they were not going home with the runner up hardware once again as they soundly handled the defending champs from Africentric 67 – 49.
Sophomore guard Cayla Bensman followed up her 26 point semifinal performance with 21 more in the championship win. Senior forward Natalie Billing, who had 29 herself in the semis, wrapped up her high school career with 19 points on 6 of 7 shooting and pulled down 9 rebounds along the way. Point guard Erica Huber, another senior, struggled from the floor at 1 of 7 but more than made up for it at the line going 13 for 18 and finishing with 15 points and 6 assists. Africentric senior post Marley Hill offered up one of her best performances in the loss finishing with a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds as well as 8 blocks.
Anna held a four point margin after one and extended the lead to 13 at the break, 33 – 20. Africentric battled hard across the last 16 minutes in an effort to repeat but the Rockets added three more to the lead in the third and two more in the fourth for a 67 – 49 final score.
In the win the stat sheet didn’t completely belong to the new champs. Africentric actually outscored Anna from the floor 42 – 40 but the 20 point margin at the line was too much to overcome. The Rockets controlled the boards by 11 but did surrender 21 offensive boards, 12 of which came at the hands of Marley Hill. The turnover category also went the way of the Lady Nubians as they forced Anna into 24 while giving away just 14 of their own. The Anna defense held Africentric to just 21 of 70 shooting and a dismal 30 percent on the wrong night to go cold.
The title is Anna’s second in three years and their third all-time title. They finish the season with a 26 and 4 record which completes a three year combined 80 and 6 resume that should give the seven seniors on the roster plenty to talk and reminisce about down the road.
DIVISION IV
Berlin Hiland is an imposing presence as well as a regular at the OHSAA State Tournament which has resulted in four titles and four runner ups. Their opponent, Fort Loramie, was looking for their first championship after having dropped two final round games during the school’s seven appearances in Columbus over the years. Coming off an emotional overtime win against Ottoville in the semifinals, the Redskins maintained their momentum and led virtually the entire game while claiming that elusive first crown. Utilizing a 23 – 14 fourth period they opened up the lead and celebrated a 57 – 42 win.
Physically strong and assertive junior combo guard Darian Rose was the catalyst behind the victory posting 19 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Renae Myer added a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards along with 4 of 6 shooting from the floor. Junior guard Regina Hochstetler kept the Hawks within reach throughout with a 23 point performance despite just shooting 9 of 25 in 30 minutes of play. No other Hiland player reached double figure on a night that saw them shoot just 32.7 percent as a team.
Fort Loramie was solid from the floor in the win finishing at a 47.5 percent team clip. The Redskins edged the Hawks on the glass by just 2 but also gave up 14 offensive rebounds while still surviving. Both teams turned it over 17 times apiece with Fort Loramie getting 14 points as a result while Hiland converted for 10 of their own.
