Katey Litten’s confidence and impact steadied Versailles in the second half of their Saturday district final win over Madeira. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Versailles survives a wrenching mid-game swoon to come back in the fourth quarter and defeat Madeira in the Division V district final at Trotwood.
Trotwood, OH – Don’t ever underestimate the value of a leader, or in this case, Versailles senior basketball standout Katey Litten, who was recently named the MAC Player of The Year in women’s basketball…and is a bonafide candidate for Southwest District Player of The Year when those awards are announced later next week.
She averages 15 points a game for the 2026 Division V district winning Tigers, is committed to play next year at Thomas More University (Div. II), in Kentucky, and her presence on the floor is palpable – intense, and for sure, tangible.
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And with her on the floor during the opening moments of the first quarter of Saturday’s 41-29 Versailles win over #1 seed and 10th-ranked Madeira (22-2), the #3 seed Versailles sprinted to a quick 17-3 lead by the 5:00 mark of the quarter.
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Elli Stammen hit a three-pointer. Kynnedi Hager hit a three. And Madison Yagle canned one from the wing.
In addition, Litten hit a mid-range 2. Stammen, Yagle, and Hager followed her lead. The Tigers started the game shooting 7 of 11 from the floor (63%), and arguably played their best six minutes of basketball all year, and under the stress of one-and-done tournament pressure.
This, while Katey Litten was in the lineup.
But just seconds into the second quarter, leading 17-3, Litten drew her second personal foul. Coach Tracy White decided to sit her for fear of picking up a third before halftime. And from that point on the Tigers would not score another field goal for the half…and just a single point on a made free throw by Elli Stammen.
Versailles’ Madison Yagle fights through a block attempt in the second half…led the Tigers with a pair of three’s and 14 points.
Madeira, a team with superb foot speed and quickness, took the best advantage they could, given a significant height disadvantage to Versailles. Little by little the Amazons scored six points during the next eight minutes – two field goals and a pair of free throws – to close the halftime deficit to 18-9. Litten would enter the game during the final seconds prior to the half, but barely touched the ball as the two teams left for the locker room as time expired.
Without question, those eight minutes were as pivotal as any played all season for both Versailles, and Madeira.
Versailles, for the fact that their defense was better – superb – than it had played for any given eight minutes of the year, and right when they needed it most.
Madeira, for the fact of having a golden opportunity to seize the momentum, the lead, and turn the pressure about-face on the Tigers, who suddenly turned the ball over, threw it away, and could not generate access to their post scoring advantage without Katey Litten on the floor. The question was posed, post-game…did White sit her for too long?
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“I looked at the score and tried to see how long our defense could keep us in it,” said White. “They were playing great, but once they closed to the 9-point mark you have to put her back in the game. And actually, they were at the foul line and I put her back in for the final offensive possession of the half.”
Madeira’s speed negated Versailles’ ability to make steals and turnovers into easy layup points.
Here’s how dynamic Katey Litten is. At the start of the third quarter she quickly hit her first shot attempt and you could feel the pressure lift, and the confidence rise with the Versailles offense. Madeira, for their part, would score some big baskets of their own, and at one point cut the Versailles lead to two points.
Kynnedi Hager used a well-aimed forearm to create space for a shot in the lane.
But with Litten back on the floor Madeira had to respect her – double her as often as they could. And when they did it created space for Madison Yagle, Allie Weitholder, and Rowan Schmitmeyer, who combined to score 8 points in the quarter, when eight points loomed bigger than that big chicken at the Versailles city limits.
“Her impact is that much,” said White. “And it becomes a scouting thing for opposing coaches. When she’s on the floor they have to know where she is. And then she passes the ball so well. She attracts two defenders and someone else gets a wide-open shot.”
The defense again latched down on Madeira’s offense, forcing turnovers, steals, and empty possessions. Madeira would actually outscore Versailles 12-10 in the quarter, but could not seize the lead, or the momentum. Versailles led 28-21 to start the final quarter.
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“We made things a lot harder on ourselves than we needed,” said White of their own missed opportunities. “But they’re a great team. A couple of their girls are super quick, and I think we’re just accustomed to getting a steal and scoring a layup. But with this team they’re super quick, #2 (Natasha Davis) is running you down, and kudos to them. They had a great season, and to their credit, they never gave up.”
To a man, Madeira coach Jared Kline believed that his team’s speed, pressure, and his offense would eventually crack the Versailles code over the final eight minutes.
He underestimated Katey Litten. A no-no!
Litten came out in the fourth and quickly sized up a couple of mid-range jump shots on the heels of Versailles shutting down Madeira on the other end. The lead grew back to 8, then 9, and with the clock being as formidable an opponent as the Tigers, themselves, Kline turned to more physical play, sending Versailles to the line.
Isabel Barga hit three of four.
Litten hit a pair.
Katey Litten smothers the shot attempt of Madeira’s Natasha Davis during the final moments of Saturday’s 41-29 district win.
And now under two minutes, Madeira began turning the ball over on their end as they were forced to rush the offense…and Katey Litten smushed a shot attempt by speedster Natasha Davis. It finished with Versailles having survived their mid-game offensive swoon, courtesy of the defense.
And, the offensive leadership of Litten, who while in the game in the second half the Tigers shot 42% from the floor, 70% from the foul line, and managed to outscore Madeira 23-20.
In her absence, credit is due to Madison Yagle, who stepped up to lead the team with 14 points, and a huge pair of three-pointers that served as daggers to the Madeira momentum. Litten would finish with 10, Elli Stammen had 8, and Kynnedi Hager had 5.
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Madeira would finish with no one in double figures, just five players actually scored, and again…one cannot give enough credit to the Tigers’ defense.
They’ll play Anna, a familiar opponent, in next week’s regional semi-final game, and Tracy White believes the familiarity will be a benefit over preparing for an unfamiliar opponent given the short turnaround.
“In this situation with the two-day turnaround it’s nice to know something about Anna,” she said. “Against a team with a motion offense you’ve seen it. Against a team that runs a lot of different sets two days is not a lot of time to prepare. And it doesn’t leave you much time to work on things you know you need to get better at, yourself.”
Either way, they’re one of the last handful of teams in Ohio playing basketball. And likely, with their best chance in a decade of returning to the Final Four.
And the same can be said for Anna, seeking its first trip to the Final Four since their last title under then coach Jack Billing, in 2013.
At this point, everyone is a bit of a survivor.
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