Elijah McCree advances the ball down the court against New Albany. McCree scored a game-high 26 points to help punch the Warriors’ ticket to the Final Four. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Jessica Phelps)
It didn’t come as easily as many thought it would, but Westerville North – top-ranked in the state – disposed of feisty New Albany to keep alive its goal of repeating as Division II state champion.
Columbus, OH – Elijah McCree never doubted himself.
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Even after the senior guard failed to earn a starting position on Westerville North’s ultra-successful basketball team the previous three seasons, he always believed that he would eventually emerge as a star player.
And McCree – who was selected the Central District and District 10 Coaches Association Player of the Year – continued to fulfill his own prophecy on Saturday, by racking up a game-high 26 points and a team-best four assists to lead the Warriors to a hard-fought 58-50 victory over New Albany in the Division II, Region 7 final at Taft Coliseum.
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With McCree leading the way, North extended its winning streak to 20 games and captured its second consecutive regional championship.
North put itself in position to repeat as state champion. The Warriors (25-1) will face North Royalton in a semifinal at 11 a.m. Saturday at Wright State University’s Nutter Center.
The Warriors had a lot of mouths to feed on its state title team and McCree was simply a role player.
“I’ve always known I’ve had it in me to have a season like this,” said McCree, who averaged 20.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.7 steals though North’s first 24 games. “There were just a couple of talented players ahead of me, who are now playing in college now, (2025 North graduates) Micah Young (Concord University) and Tai Perkins (University of Akron), and I just had to keeping work hard while waiting for my turn.
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“My coaches and teammates always believed in me, and I feel blessed for sure to be having this kind of season, and I’m really proud of our team.”
Westerville North’s Tony Cornett dribbles past Cam Kolar of New Albany in a Division II regional final.
McCree kept New Albany’s stout defensive squad off balance the entire game, utilizing a variety of speedy crossover and hesitation moves to beat opponents off the dribble, to create shots for himself and his teammates.
The 5-foot-11 guard made a 3-pointer in each quarter and penetrated the paint often, to score layups or draw opponents his direction before quickly dishing the ball to open teammates.
McCree certainly earned the respect of New Albany senior guard Caden Kistner, a lockdown defender for the Eagles, who guarded him throughout most of the game.
“He’s really twitchy and quick, and he shoots the ball really well,” said Kistner, whose squad finished 16-9. “It’s amazing because he came out of nowhere to become the best player in our district.”
After he scored seven points in the first quarter, and five points in both the second and third quarters, McCree played his best in the clutch, scoring nine points over the final three minutes to lock down the victory.
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“Elijah’s a special kid and he’s always embraced his role on our team,” said North coach Shan Trusley, a 1988 North graduate, who was named the Central District Coach of the Year. “He never asked for more minutes or more shots when he was coming off the bench and averaging nine points last year, because he’s always been happy to do what it takes to help our team win.
Caden Kistner of New Albany helped pull the Eagles to 47-44 late in the second half, but they could not overcome the top-rated defending state champions.
“But Elijah is a great talent and we expected this from him. His role has changed, and he’s stepped up to that challenge.”
After Kistner scored on mid-range shot to pull the Eagles within 47-44 with 3 minutes, 30 seconds remaining in the game, McCree used some nifty crossover moves to shake his defender and make a 3-pointer three feet from behind the arc.
“That was a big shot when we really needed one,” McCree said. “I noticed the guy guarding me was sagging a little, so I made a quick move, stepped back and trusted my shot.”
McCree followed by weaving his way through the paint to score a layup with 1:35 left, and he then drew a foul and made both free throws to stretch North’s lead to 54-46 with 58.3 remaining.
With 23.2 left, McCree sank two more foul shots to push the lead to 58-50 to ice the game.
“We made all six of our free throws in the final minute, with Ty Perkins also making two (with 44.2 seconds left) to keep our lead,” Trusley said. “Ty (who finished with three points) is the motor of our team.”
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Junior wing Tony Cornett also racked up 12 points and a team-best eight rebounds, while junior wing Damion King had 12 points.
“Tony had another great game and he’s going to be a Division I (college) player,” said Trusley, who was an assistant coach at North, when it captured its other three regional titles in 1994, 1995 and 1996. “Damion is undersized at his position, but he’s a very strong athlete and he plays well in the paint.
It was nothing but smiles as North’s players accepted their regional title awards.
“I thought this was a tremendous effort, defensively. We always play full-court man-to-man defense, and everyone played hard.”
The Eagles fell behind by as many as 15 points in the second quarter, but clawed their way back to within a six-point deficit (30-24) by halftime, as senior all-district guard and Toledo signee Marco Mattucci scored six of his game-high 15 points and junior forward Evan Murfield scored six of his nine points in the second quarter.
“New Albany’s an outstanding team,” Trusley said. “They are big, strong and physical, and every dribble and every pass is a battle with the way they play defense.”
Junior guard Kelby Martin, who finished with 13 points, also made a 3-pointer in the opening moments of the fourth quarter to pull New Albany within 43-40.
New Albany players helplessly watch the end of their season wind down.
“Coach (Tim) Casey always reminds us to never go away, and we fought them all the way,” Kistner said. “When I came here as a freshman, New Albany basketball wasn’t on the map, but we’ve won district championships and reached regional finals each of the past two years, so I feel like our seniors are leaving behind a good legacy.”
King said North’s goal has been no secret all along.
“We won it last year, and we want to win another state championship this year, too,” said King, who plays defensive end for North’s football team and already has received 11 Division I football scholarship offers.
Trusley, who had to replace four of the top seven players from last year’s squad, including three starters and two all-Ohio players, added: “It feels really good to win back-to-back regional titles, and it isn’t something normal. This is a special group of Westerville North players and we are one big family.”
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