Shelby’s Brayden DeVito attempts to block the shot of Maysville’s Alex Bobb during a back and forth showdown at Dayton’s UD Arena. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Brian Bayless)
Jordyn Watson scored 26 points, Alex Bobb 22 and Gator Nichols 18 as Maysville broke through in the final two minutes to reach the state title game for the first time. The game featured 15 lead changes and 10 ties.
Dayton, OH – Six-thousand, eight-hundred and seventy-four fans in full throat from the opening tip saw a Division II state semifinal that resembled a championship tennis match.
Zanesville Maysville and Shelby traded volleys for over 30 minutes at University of Dayton Saturday before a five-second sequence turned things upside down.
With the score tied for the 15th time, Jordyn Watson scored on a nifty feed from Coen Fink at the 1:49 to give Maysville the lead. Alex Bobb stole the ensuing inbounds pass, scored and was fouled.
Veteran central Ohio columnist Steve Blackledge writes the OCC and sports at large for Press Pros.
The five-point sequence couldn’t have been any more dramatic as Maysville, unranked in the final Associated Press poll, went on to beat Shelby 68-65 and punch a ticket to Sunday’s 5:15 title game against Kettering Alter.
“That game was such a whirlwind, I’m not sure I remember all of the specifics right now,” Maysville coach Dave Brown said. “All I can say is the kids just find ways to keep playing. We just want another day together.”
Panther Head Coach Dave Brown gets fired up after his team scores, gets a steal and then converts a 3-point play.
Even after the Panthers’ five-point swing, Shelby hung tough. Isaiah Ramsey somehow managed to bank in a three-pointer from the corner with 20.2 seconds left to cut the deficit to 66-65.
It turned into a free throw contest from there. Bobb and Watson made 2 of 4. Bryson Baker missed a pair at the 3.9 second mark.
The Whippets had a final chance, but Casey Lantz’s long inbound pass near midcourt to Alex Bruskotter was intercepted by Gator Nichols.
Watson scored 26 points, Bobb 22 and Nichols 18 for the Panthers, who started the season 5-3 but have reeled off 21 straight wins. Maysville hadn’t been to the final four in 53 years.
Bruskotter, a Wright State signee, was fabulous. He scored 34 points, tying a Division I state semifinal record, and grabbed eight rebounds. He went 13 of 16 from the field and 4 of 6 from three-point range. Casey Lantz chipped in 12 points and 11 rebounds.
“My goodness, that Bruskotter kid hit some tough shots,” Brown said.
Jordyn Watson tries to deny Shelby’s Alex Bruskotter late in the 2nd half at Dayton’s UD Arena.
Shelby coach Greg Gallaway was thankful to see his team make the final four for the first time but obviously wasn’t happy with the outcome.
“That was one heck of a basketball game,” he said. “It seemed like it was a one-possession game all the way to the end. Credit to Maysville. That’s an incredible basketball team. They do what they do, get a lot of shots up and keep pushing the pace.”
The largest lead of the game for either team was five points near the end of the first half, and that lasted all of 20 seconds.
The ‘Spot’ is the presenting sponsors of the 2024 OHSAA basketball tournaments on Press Pros Magazine.com.