It made no difference if she was guarded by one or several defenders as Sydney Mobley found a way to score 28 points as Big Walnut returned to the final four with a win over Worthington Kilbourne at Ridgedale High School. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Brian Bayless)
Ms. Basketball candidate Sydney Mobley had 28 points, but the Golden Eagles had several other key contributors while beating the Wolves 67-54 in a Division II regional final.
Morral, OH – Considering Sydney Mobley is a Ms. Basketball finalist and one of the country’s top 2027 prospects, the Big Walnut girls basketball team enters every game expecting the 6-foot-2 standout to receive heavy doses of attention.
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Even for a familiar opponent like Worthington Kilbourne, there’s an understanding that stopping such a talented player completely is likely an impossibility.
That’s when the importance of the Golden Eagles’ supporting cast comes into play.
In what was the sixth meeting in two seasons between the programs Friday at Ridgedale and with a berth in the state tournament on the line, Big Walnut showed that Mobley is not only a great talent but is a part of a team capable of going the distance.
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The Golden Eagles’ 67-54 victory over Kilbourne in a Division II regional final at Ridgedale sends them back to state for the second consecutive season.
“I prepared the girls for a fight like this all week,” coach Carey Largent said. “I highly respect Kilbourne. They’re a very good team and very well-coached. What I love about our team is that you never know who’s going to come through with some big plays. That’s what makes our team special.”
Mobley, who helped Big Walnut reach the state tournament for the first time last winter before it fell 58-55 in overtime to eventual champion Cincinnati Winton Woods, totaled 28 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals.
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It marks the 10th consecutive win for Big Walnut over the Wolves, but it was a much closer experience this time through after it won each of the Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division meetings by 21 points.
Big Walnut’s Jozie Syroka applies backcourt pressure to Wolves’ sharpshooter Mia Williams.
The victory improves the Eagles to 23-4 and sends them into a state semifinal March 13 against Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame-Cincinnati Seton winner. Akron Hoban faces Olmsted Falls in the other semifinal.
Kilbourne, which lost to Big Walnut in a regional semifinal last season, finished 22-5.
“I think it’s hard any time you play a team multiple times,” Mobley said. “I knew they were going to bring it. They just heavily scouted us. Our main thing is staying together and staying jelled. We came apart a little bit in the second quarter, but we brought it back after halftime and played as a unit in the fourth quarter.
“It feels amazing. I love these girls so much and being able to play basketball with them and hopefully having two more games left, I’m going to cherish every moment. We have a lot of weapons everywhere, and it makes us dangerous.”
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It appeared early as if Big Walnut would put together another blowout win, as sophomore guard Ryleigh Thrapp hit three 3-pointers and had 13 points in the opening quarter to help her team build a 21-8 lead.
Alexa Morris connects from behind the arc, the second score of a 7-0 run that quashed Kilbourne’s rally and hopes of a comeback.
In the second quarter, however, Kilbourne sophomore guard Mia Williams hit a pair of 3-pointers as her team got back to within 29-21 by halftime.
The Wolves then chipped further away at the lead, with Williams scoring nine points including making a 3-pointer to help her team cut it to 41-37 heading into the final period.
“The old saying is that it’s hard to beat a team three times, but we went in respecting their team and they have really good players who have an ability to shoot and have a good inside presence,” Largent said. “I’m not surprised they came back and made it tough.
“Our girls don’t quit. They believe in themselves and believe in each other, so they’re going to do their thing.”
To open the final period, Thrapp scored on a putback basket, and senior Alexa Morris hit a 3-pointer and turned a steal into a layup for a 7-0 run that increased the lead back to 48-37.
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Mobley scored on three consecutive possessions, including hitting a jumper, and junior guard Remy Largent’s 3-pointer with 3 minutes, 12 seconds remaining made it 57-41.
Mia Williams hits the deck hard during the second half, but a quick whistle resulted in Big Walnut’s Remy Largent being charged with the offensive foul.
Thrapp had 20 points and eight rebounds and Remy Largent added 10 points for Big Walnut.
Williams finished with 18 points and senior Oliviah Wilkerson added 17 for the Wolves, who will lose four seniors but started three sophomores.
“They kind of put us away early the first two times we played them and last year, and I thought the girls executed our game plan,” Kilbourne coach Stephanie Jones said. “They could have easily folded when (Big Walnut) went up 21-8. We called timeout and got settled and dug our way back into the game. We didn’t fail today. I thought we played well. We came to compete, and we thought we could win. We gave them our best effort.
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“(Mobley is) tough to stop. She’s a phenomenal player. There were a few times she got away from us. She’s very good at grabbing those offensive boards and scooping up loose balls. She’s tough to stop, and we gave it a try.”
Lexi Federer steals the ball in front of a visibly frustrated Wolves’ bench.
In addition to Mobley, Remy Largent, and Morris, senior Lexi Federer was a key contributor a year ago when the Eagles’ season ended in heart-breaking fashion in a state semi.
Thrapp joined the program in the offseason after helping Olentangy reach a Division I regional final last winter.
“We need to start out with energy, limit our turnovers, and play as a team,” Remy Largent said. “Ryleigh was the main (offseason addition). She can get to the basket, and people have to step up on her when she shoots. She opens the game for everybody else.”
Big Walnut enters state on a 17-game winning streak.
“We had a really tough schedule and took some tough losses early,” coach Largent said. “That has only helped us and has prepared us for games like tonight. We don’t lay down and die when a team is pressuring us or coming back.
“We’re happy to be back in the final four for sure. I’m just happy to have another week with the girls, and any time you have another opportunity to be at state, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
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