On a night where the defending state champion Botkins played like a defending state champion, and Tri-Village played like a dedicated contender, those teams claimed Division IV district titles…while another less-heralded would-be (Springfield Central Catholic) knocked Jackson Center out of the tournament.
Dayton, OH – It went like this at Tuesday night’s Division IV district finals at UD Arena.
Tri-Village, ranked #5, thumped an over-manned Fayetteville-Perry, 64-29.
Defending champion Botkins, ranked #1, crushed Ripley Union, 73-39.
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And Springfield Central Catholic, ranked #6, rode the remarkable floor game of Ashton Young and 14 points from Tyler Galluch to knock out Jackson Center, 47-36.
There were no surprises, and there were no issues of woulda’, coulda’, shoulda’. The three best teams on this night played like champions, or defending champions in Botkins’ case…and the only question in anyone’s mind was that delicious what-if that still remains to be seen. Of the three – Botkins, Tri-Village, and Springfield Central Catholic – who would beat who in a head-to-head match.
In the first of the evening’s triple-header, Tri-Village rode balanced scoring, and three in double figures – Josh Scantland (15), Layne Sarver (16), and Justin Finkbine (13) – to overwhelm a Fayetteville Perry team that never knew what hit them.
Tri-Village’s Jason Hale finds an open teammate with a wrap-around pass past Fayetteville’s Austin Snider.
Tri-Village was deeper, more athletic, and simply more experienced, if not more motivated following last year’s devastating surprise loss to Cedarville in the regional semi-finals. The Patriots (21-3), shot 52% from the field, and got just about any shot they wanted. But it was their defense that impressed, as well, holding Fayetteville to just 21.5% for the game, and 2 of 16 from three-point range.
“We’re not going to take anything for granted,” said TV coach Josh Sagester, a possible homage to last year. “Fayetteville’s a good basketball team, but defensively we were really good at times. Offensively, not so much, but again, it’s our first time in UD Arena, I think we were a little over-zealous at times, we turned it over uncharacteristically, but we stayed the course.”
Records notwithstanding, could this be a better Tri-Village team than last year’s…that shocked the Division IV community by NOT getting the OHSAA final four?
They seemed to score at will, but the Patriots’ defense held Fayetteville to just 29 points, and 21% shooting.
“I feel like our schedule has put us in a position to overcome some things, mentally and physically,” added Sagester. “We played a better non-league schedule, to be honest, and we’re happy and excited. Are we on a mission? Yes, the Cedarville game was a motivation. We want to have our shot and get back to the regional round. They played really well that night, made some big-time shots, and that happens sometimes. But absolutely…we want another shot in the regional and we know whoever we get it’s going to be a good basketball team.”
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In the 7 pm game, Botkins (24-2) came out and played like a champion team out to defend its title.
Three scored in double figures for the Trojans, with all-stater Jacob Pleiman characteristically logging his 20 points, and shooting guard Jameson Meyer shot 3 of 8 from three-point range to add 11.
Carter Pleiman bends around Ripley’s Drew Cooper to score in the Trojans’ 73-39 win.
But it was the 20 points from the off guard, Jaydon Wendel, that stunned Ripley Union and an appreciative UD Arena audience…and in truth was the catalyst for Botkins playing with supreme confidence and control in the one-and-done circumstance of a district final.
Wendel, who didn’t play at all last year, shot 8 of 13 overall, and 4 of 8 from three-point range…and somehow got lost in the Blue Jays’ scouting report. They had no idea, and no answer. But his fluid outside shooting stroke rode Botkins to a 15-5 first quarter lead, a 35-10 halftime lead, and an eventual 73-39 win.
“I just came out, they (Ripley) gave me the shots, and I knocked them down,” said a satisfied Wendel afterwards. “Coach yells at me sometimes because I miss shots that I take out of rhythm, but if I’m in rhythm it’s most likely it’s going to go in.
“I missed out on this last year, so I wanted to go out and help us get back there again. I wanted to do what I can.”
How many times has he scored 20 this year?
“None,” said Wendel.
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“You know, he wasn’t even here last year, so I guess he was putting his name out there tonight,” said teammate Jameson Meyer.
And why wasn’t he here last year?
“I don’t know. That was his decision,” said Meyer. “But he’s here now and we’re glad to have him. He’s so confident, every time he shoots the ball I think it’s going in, and I hope he thinks that way for me, too. We’ve been shooting together since the third grade, so this is what we’ve been dreaming about. Hopefully we can get on that stage again and do it in a bigger game.”
Rough, at times…Botkins’ Jameson Meyer runs aground of Ripley’s 6’5″, 250-pound Drew Cooper.
Ripley’s scouting report obviously focused on stopping Jacob Pleiman, but Botkins has so many weapons that not all of them have to come up big in order for them to win. Carter Pleiman was spectacular on both ends and ended up with 9 points. Meyer had 11, Wendel had 20. And Jacob Pleiman got his 20 with his athleticism. Ripley couldn’t box him in down around the rim. He was 9 of 14 from the floor, and scored from all over the floor. Elijah Stewart added 7, Jordan Herzog had 2, and Collin Doseck had 2.
Afterwards, Trojan coach Phil Groves, who smiles with the regularity of a comet sighting, was all smiles as he swung the victory net in appreciation of a second consecutive district title, and a third consecutive Botkins win on the UD floor. The won the state semi-final, and final last year to claim the Divison IV crown.
“I think our kids have a lot of confidence from their state run last year,” said Groves, asked to comment on his team having played like a defending title holder. “They’ve been here before, and that kind of confidence is something that we can’t teach as a coaching staff.”
And none more confident Tuesday…than Jaydon Wendel!
“Yeah, Jaydon’s great,” smiled Groves. “He works hard every game. He averages 9 or 10 points a game, but to chip in for 20 tonight was huge for him and us. He’s a senior, and it’s great to have your seniors carry you on a night like tonight. He’s cool, calm, and collected and I don’t think he ever gets rattled. He just knocks down big shots for us when we need them. I can’t praise him enough!”
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In the 9 pm finale...Springfield Catholic (24-2) showed why they’re ranked #6 in the state in the season’s final poll last week, taking down 19-7 Jackson Center, 47-36.
The Irish turned the tables on Jackson Center, usually known for its defense, by holding the Shelby County League’s Tigers to 35% shooting, while shooting a blistering 62% from the floor on the other end.
Carson Regula scores 2 of his team-high 16 points in the season-ending loss to Springfield Central Catholic.
“We had a very poor defensive game,” said Jackson Center coach Scott Elchert. “But if you want me to summarize it I can do it with these three things.
“We absolutely had too many defensive breakdowns, where we just didn’t guard guys. I can think of at least five buckets that got where we didn’t guard somebody. Complete breakdowns.
“Two, we didn’t make the shots. We didn’t shoot well enough.”
“Three, they’re the kind of team that you don’t want to be down seven or eight points in the fourth quarter, because they’re too good at spreading you out and doing damage. They were 18 of 29 for the game. But those were the three keys to the loss.”
Shooting was an issue, from the floor and the free throw line, where the Tigers were just 4 for 10.
But to his point about defensive breakdowns, SCC continually abused the Jackson Center backcourt by guard Ashton Young beating them off the dribble, getting to the rim, scoring, or finding an open teammate.
“Our gap help was poor,” added Elchert. “And, he (Young) is the real deal.”
Too many breakdowns on defense…SCC’s Ashton Young continually beat the Tigers off the dribble to either score (above) for record an assist.
When Young wasn’t scoring, he was finding teammate Tyler Galluch, and he was the real deal, too. Galluch was 7 of 10 from the field for a team-high 14 points.
Carson Regula led Jackson Center with 16 points, Nolan Fark had 12, but after that there simply was no offensive support. Jace Mullenhour finished with 6 points, Reed Platfoot had 2, and the Tigers never led in the game. They closest they came was twice within 1 point in the second half. But after 27-26 in the third quarter, SCC outscored them 20-10 over the game’s closing minutes.
“We had too many breakdowns, and we were not good defensively, tonight,” said Elchert. “Not what it takes to win a district final game.
“But…on January 15, when we lost to Wapkoneta, we were 7-6 and spinning our wheels. And we just finished our year at 19-7. So to these kids’ credit after that loss to Wapak we were 12-1 over the last six weeks. We figured some things out, and tonight was a tough way to go out. You don’t want to lose in a district final. I’m not great in math, but my math tells me we won twelve straight. And from that standpoint…I’m proud of this group.”
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With a sweet swing of the net, Botkins coach Phil Groves claims the Trojans' second consecutive Division IV district title, with his sights on yet a better set of nets. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Sonny Fulks)