Olentangy Orange shoots past Reynoldsburg in title game
Saturday, March 22, 2025
By Kevin Rouch
krouch@cbussports.com
Ellis Appiah (left), who led Olentangy Orange with 20 points, drives the baseline during the Pioneers’ state championship win over Reynoldsburg Saturday at University of Dayton Arena. Photo: Kevin Rouch
It was a much-awaited game. Because the OHSAA added three divisions to the four that had existed the year before, there was now a chance in Division I that there would be two teams from Central Ohio that could compete for a state championship in the 102-year history of tournament play in the Buckeye State.
Olentangy Orange found their way to the title match by going through the Southwest regional, while Reynoldsburg came through the traditional regional in Columbus. Orange beat defending-champion St. Ignatius in overtime in the semifinals. Reynoldsburg made a shot with a tenth of a second left to down Lakota West.
Reynoldsburg’s Toby Nwokolo (right) drives the baseline against Olentangy Orange’s Devin Brown during the OHSAA title game at University of Dayton Arena Saturday. Photo: Kevin Rouch
The Pioneers and Raiders are both members of the Ohio Capital Conference, but are in different divisions and did not play during the regular season. Orange was 25-2 coming into the game, having lost to two out-of-state teams. Reynoldsburg was 26-1, falling only to DeSales during the regular season.
The first half of Saturday’s game was close because neither squad shot well. Orange was 7-27 from the field and 2-11 from beyond the arc. Reynoldsburg was 7-23 and did not make a three-pointer in six attempts. The score going into the locker room at the break was a surprising 17-14 in favor of the Pioneers.
The second half was a different story. Orange scored the first eight points to take a double-digit lead and never looked back, leading by as many as 25 points en route to a 56-41 win. The difference in the second half? The Pioneers shot 15-20 generally and 6-7 from long range in the final two quarters. The Raiders managed just one trey on the night in 12 attempts.
Olentangy Orange head coach Anthony Calo (left) with his father, Ed, after the Pioneers captured the Division I state title Saturday at University of Dayton Arena. Both men have now won OHSAA championships. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Ellis Appiah led Orange with 20 points, while Treyton Schroeder added 12 points and Levi Davis had 10. Devin Brown, a Davidson commit, had a tough night shooting but led the Pioneers with six assists while scoring six. For Reynoldsburg, Jorden Bowens had a team-high 20 points. Xavier McKinney chipped in with 11. Both are Ohio University commits.
It was the first state title for the Pioneers and head coach Anthony Calo. Coach Calo and his dad, Ed, become only the second father-son tandem to win OHSAA state championships in boys basketball. Dru Joyce II and son Cameron captured titles at St. Vincent-St. Mary (2003) and St. Ignatius (2024), respectively. Ed Calo won at Westerville South, where he is still the head coach, in 2016.
The state-champion Olentangy Orange Pioneers pose with their trophy. Photo: Kevin Rouch