Dorian Jones slams one home with authority during the D IV Championship at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Brian Bayless)
The outcome was never in doubt. Richmond Heights used its ferocious full-court pressure to devour Berlin Hiland 62-35 in the small-school championship game. The Spartans scored 28 points off turnovers and 25 came on fast break baskets.
Dayton, OH – Perhaps out of good sportsmanship, the Richmond Heights student section waited until 14 seconds remained in the Division IV championship game Sunday before chanting “Na Na Hey Hey’’ in celebration. In reality, this mismatch was over way, way earlier.
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Wreaking havoc with their relentless full-court pressure, the Spartans blew out Berlin Hiland 62-35 for their third straight title. Richmond Heights is only the fourth team in the 102-year history of the state tournament to three-peat. The others were Cincinnati North College Hill (2005, ‘06 and ‘07), Columbus Wehrle (1988, ‘89, ‘90) and Dayton Stivers (1928, ‘29 and ‘30).
After falling behind 5-0, Richmond Heights went on a 10-5 run and was never again threatened.
Veteran central Ohio columnist Steve Blackledge writes the OCC and sports at large for Press Pros.
Even when 10th-ranked Berlin Hiland (23-7) was able to hang on to the ball, getting an arm’s length to shoot was an entirely different challenge. Coach Mark Schlabach called timeout twice within 10 seconds to try to quell the Spartans’ chaos.
“In the second half, we picked up the intensity and tried to make the game a little faster and that worked to our advantage,” Richmond Heights coach Quentin Rogers said. “Everything we do is predicated on our defense. Eighty-five percent of our practices are defense, and that’s mostly to make sure we’re disciplined in our approach.”
Hiland shot just 26.7 percent from the field (21.1 percent beyond the arc) and committed 16 turnovers despite trying to slow the pace. Richmond Heights scored 28 points off turnovers and 25 fast-break points. More than half of the Spartans’ points came in the paint (32).
Richmond Heights was simply too big and too fast for the Hawks, as in this case when Hosea Steele, Jr. denies the shot attempt of Berlin Highland’s Sammy Detweiler.
“We’re hungry. That’s what we do on the defensive end,” Spartans senior guard Hosea Steele Jr. said. “When we get on a run, we smell blood.”
Schlabach conceded that his team, minus three potential starters sidelined by injury, did all it could in light of its obvious limitations.
“Our room for error is very small against a team of this caliber,” he said. “To have any chance, we knew we had to knock (shots) down, and we didn’t … and they did. I think we might have lost our legs, too.”
Nick Wigton scored 16 points to pace the Hawks (23-7).
Hiland standpoint guard Sammy Detweiler said in addition to its length and athleticism, Richmond Heights possesses plenty of other traits.
“They play really hard, too,” he said. “That’s a hard combination to beat.”
Demaris Winters Jr. (19 points, seven rebounds, three assists), Dorian Jones (13 points) and Steele (12 points, six rebounds) led the way for third-ranked Heights (18-9).
Anyone in the know about Ohio high school basketball realized that Richmond Heights’ record was skewed because of the ambitious schedule it tackled. The Spartans beat Division I state finalist Cleveland St. Ignatius and perennial power Pickerington Central and lost tough games to Division III state finalist Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, Division I regional finalist Garfield Heights and Division I district runner-up Reynoldsburg to name a few. The competition included opponents from seven states.
“This has become kind of normal for us,” Winters said.
When asked if his team might opt to move up to Division I when the tournament is expanded to seven divisions next season, Rogers hinted that it was a strong possibility. “My whole thing is about challenges,” he said.
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