Tony Cornett slams it down with authority as Westerville North makes a statement with a 74-49 thrashing of North Royalton. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Brian Bayless)
Elijah McCree (25 points, four assists) and Tony Cornett (17 points, seven rebounds) paved the way in North’s dominant 74-49 state semifinal victory over North Royalton. It was the same-old, same-old for the Warriors, who used their speed, athleticism, ball movement and pressure to overwhelm the Bears.
Fairborn, OH – When Westerville North graduated four of its top seven players, including two All-Ohioans, from its 2025 state championship team, the inclination – on paper at least – was to anticipate a slight dropoff in production.
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But apparently Westerville North isn’t just any other basketball team. It is altogether possible that the current model may be even better than the former one, but that debate won’t be revisited until Sunday and beyond.
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“Most media and other observers thought we would not be as good as last year and due to the fact we graduated 38 points per game, I can understand them thinking that,” Warriors 13th-year head coach Shan Trusley said. “I think the general thought was ‘They’ll be fine, but not state final good.’ But in private, behind closed doors, we knew we would be very good. Our kids and coaches knew what we had. Our expectation was to return to the same level we were last season.”
After a 74-49 semifinal rout of North Royalton Saturday at Wright State University’s Nutter Center, top-ranked North is indeed headed back to the Division II title game. The Warriors will bus about 15 minutes down US Route 35 to University of Dayton Arena to face second-ranked Massillon Washington (26-1) at noon Sunday in quest of a rare repeat title.
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The Tigers beat Lima Senior 75-63 in the other semifinal, advancing to their first title game since 1937.
Jacob Medhane gets a clear look at the basket and hits a 3-pointer as the Warriors start the game on a 7-0 run.
Trusley’s expectations began with senior guard Elijah McCree and junior Tony Cornett. McCree averaged nine points per game in a rotational role in 2025, but improved to the extent of being Central District and, very likely, state player of the year.
“These two guys were a huge part of what we did last year and I knew they were going to be really, really good,” he said.
McCree racked up 25 points and four assists on Saturday and Cornett added 17 points and seven rebounds to pace the Warriors (26-1). McCree shot 9 of 17 from the field, 4 of 8 from 3-point range. Teammates Tyson Perkins (11 points, six assists), Damion King (eight points) and Jacob Medhane (seven points) also have been valuable assets all season long.
“It’s been just as fun this year with a new bunch of guys,” McCree said. “Of course, we had the same expectations coming into this season as we did last season.”
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North has been a wrecking ball all season, outsourcing its opposition by an average margin of 76.6 points to 52.5. The Warriors have played only a handful of games with outcomes under double-digits 10 with their only defeat coming to four-time defending state champion Cleveland Heights Lutheran East 51-49 on Dec. 21. They’ve rattled off 21 straight wins since.
Tyson Perkins drives the baseline and floats one up for a score.
Saturday’s win over North Royalton (22-6), also a state semifinalist in 2025, went much like many North games.
With its full-court pressure buzzing, North shot out to a 7-0 lead before North Royalton even advanced to its own 3-point line. The Warriors hit six of their first seven shots en route to a 26-8 lead.
“I wouldn’t want this to sound arrogant, but that’s a good, normal start for us,” Trusley said. “Our kids are so focused, sometimes I feel like I have to reel them in a little. Our No. 1 priority on defense is to get the ball. As soon as it goes through the basket, that’s our mentality. That’s just how we play.”
North Royalton ultimately capitalized on some of North’s aggressive nature, grabbing sloppy passes and taking them back downcourt for easy baskets. Six-foot-eight junior center Nolan Klingbeil (18 points, eight rebounds) often was the chief beneficiary. Antonio Escano added 15 points and eight boards. The Bears gradually clawed back to 33-29 early in the third quarter.
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“When they went on that early run, we didn’t panic,” North Royalton coach Nick Lapsevich said. “They’re such a talented team, our biggest challenge was to try to stay as poised as we could because we knew they would make their runs. The main message was to keep them out of transition, or at least try.”
The Warriors’ quick hands and tenacious defense, like that of Desmond Okantey on this play, created problems on both ends of the court for North Royalton.
True to form, North answered with one of those patented 15-4 runs and rolled to victory.
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“Honestly, I felt really good when we were up only four,” Trusley said. “We’ve been in that situation before. I know what these kids are made of. I knew they were going to make plays and they did.”
Elijah McCree came up big for the Warriors, leading all scorers with 25 points in the semifinal.
McCree said behind closed doors, North’s team often talks about dragging opponents into deep water.
“It means if we continue to keep the pace up, they won’t be able to stay with us,” he said.
What makes the Warriors so exceptional is their speed, ball movement, athleticism, full-court pressure and confidence.
“They’re an incredible team,” Lapsevich said. “They’re extremely talented and athletic, shoot the ball well, play well together and are really well coached. What they throw at you is hard to overcome over four quarters. They’re good, bottom line.”
North shot 28 of 51 from the field, including 9 of 19 from 3-point range. North Royalton was just 4 of 22 from beyond the arc.
Led by future Division I standouts Sean Stonerook and Kevin Martin, Westerville North won its first big-school championship in 1994, lost the title game in 1995 and reached the semis in 1996. Trusley, a 1988 North grad, was an assistant on those teams. The program has had just three head coaches in the past 40-plus years and each successor had ties to the previous one.
“The similarity in those two groups is that we have top-flight kids,” Trusley said. “It started in the 1980s and it’s been passed all the way down to 2026. The expectations are always there.”
But he has warned his players to temper the acceptance of those lofty expectations, self-imposed or otherwise.
“I tell them continually that what we’re doing is not normal,” Trusley said. “Ninety-nine percent of kids in high school never get to experience this once, let alone two years in a row. To appreciate your accomplishments and what it takes to get there, you really have to put it all in a proper perspective.”
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