Four local teams will vie for state basketball titles
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Staff Reports
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Devin Brown and the Olentangy Orange Pioneers will play in the OHSAA state final against OCC foe Reynoldsburg Saturday night. File photo
All four CBUS-area teams that qualified for this season’s boys basketball final four won their state semi-final games this weekend and will play for OHSAA titles next Friday and Saturday.
DIVISION I
For the first time since 1998, when Lakewood St. Edward beat Cleveland St. Ignatius, two teams from the same metro area are matched up in the Division I finals. Olentangy Orange (25-2) beat St. Ignatius, 58-54, in overtime Sunday to advance to the championship game Saturday at University of Dayton Arena at 8:30 p.m.
The Pioneers’ opponent will be another OCC power, the Reynoldsburg Raiders (26-1). The Raiders qualified for the title contest by edging Lakota West, 64-63, with a Xavier McKinney two-point shot off an inbounds pass with 0.1 seconds remaining. Both Orange and Reynoldsburg qualified for the state tourney for the first time this season.
Reynoldsburg’s Xavier McKinney (11) made a shot at the end of the game against Lakota West Sunday to send the Raiders to Saturday’s state final against Olentangy Orange. File photo
DIVISION II
Westerville North (24-2) last won a state championship in 1994. The Warriors were most recently in the final four in 1996. North overwhelmed Toledo St. Francis Sunday, 73-52, and will play Massillon Perry for the crown on Friday in Dayton at 7:30 p.m.
Perry (14-13) came into the tournament with a record of 9-13, but have upset one team after another. The Panthers beat Warren Harding (19-5) by one in the regional semifinals and handed North Royalton (25-2) their second loss of the season in the state semifinals.
Westerville North’s Micah Young (1) helped the Warriors roll against Toledo St. Francis Sunday. North will play Massillon Perry Friday night in the state title game. File photo
DIVISION V
Columbus Academy (28-0) beat Summit Country Day, 63-51, on Friday at Wittenburg to remain undefeated and qualify for the state final game. The Vikings will play Lutheran East (25-4) Saturday at 10:45 a.m.
The Falcons have been in the final four the last seven times that they’ve been held, winning the title four times. Led by head coach Sam Liggins, they are the two-time defending champions in what was Division III.
Anderson Davis was the leading scorer for Columbus Academy in their game against Summit Country Day Friday. The Vikings will play Lutheran East Saturday morning for the title. File photo